New Testaments: Secret of Mana
by ClaudeLv250
Summary: 10 years after SoM...mana abruptly returns, and with it, chaos. CH 17: The Chosen One of Wind is discovered while The Scorpion Army are up to their old tricks again, which are proving more lethal than ever.
1. Introduction

**Introduction:** Welcome! New Testaments: Secret of Mana is a collaboration fic between myself (ClaudeLv250), Nikovich, Dalamar86, and possibly a few other authors in the future. Being fans of the Mana/Seiken Densetsu series, we thought what better way to honor it than write a story for it?

New Testaments will be a series, starting with Secret of Mana and eventually going into a new story for the rest of the games, in the order of Seiken Densetsu 3, Legend of Mana, and then Sword of Mana/Final Fantasy Adventure and the World of Mana games(and anymore games after that). This will be a LONG endeavor, possibly one of the longest pieces of fanfiction I've participated in so far. Chapters will be written by one of the authors, which will be clarified at the start of each chapter. There will also be a few chapters written by_ multiple_ authors. And now, story details.

**Story:** The story takes place 10 years after the end of Secret of Mana. It will feature new and old characters, and probably plenty of nostalgia for fans of the game. Hopefully, beyond establishing new plotlines, we can also clear up and tackle some older plot points from the original game that weren't elaborated upon. Ah...I'm not going to get too much into detail here: that's what the actual story is for. Don't want to spoil anything.

**More NTSoM:** We have decided to elaborate on the SoM/NTSoM universe and expand the project in the process with works based off of the story. Such includes side stories like Eliza the Witch, as well as games that are in the works now. I guess you can consider the NTSoM project similar to the World of Mana compilation. I hope to keep updates in this area as they come (or in my profile).

(UPDATE April 4, 07)

**Bios:** I've removed the character biographies because I felt it was lacking and amateurish to include them in the actual story itself. They are, however, on my website in a cleaned up and improved form, including character portraits. The link is in my profile.

* * *

And last, but not least... 

**Disclaimer:** Secret of Mana, Seiken Densetsu and all related properties are the property of Square Enix. All original characters and creations are the property of their respective authors unless otherwise specified.


	2. Prologue

**New Testaments: Secret of Mana  
**  
_Ten years ago  
The legendary warrior and his companions  
Defeated an evil threat  
With the legendary Holy Sword  
Evil and Mana disappeared  
And the world was safe again_

_Well, they say that time flows like a river  
And history often repeats itself  
But today...history will not be repeated  
It will be created!_

**Prologue  
**  
_Claude Augario_

Ah...Gold City...how I loathe this place. Who Am I? Why, I'm Claude Augario, only son of the Augario family. My parents...I don't hate them, but I don't agree with their views on life. They think most people that don't live here are barbaric and unsanitary. In fact, just about everyone here thinks that way. And I'm the oddball for not agreeing with them.

I'll get off this island eventually, just you wait! One day, I'll travel the world...I might even go on an adventure, one like the legendary hero...

Gold walls, gold doors, gold grass, gold trees! A magnificent sight the entire island was...but not for Claude. This was everyday life to him, and he was sick of it.

Claude covered his eyes as they began to adjust to the early morning light within seconds. He peered through his window out at the city while blocking the still-rising sun with a hand over his head. The setting was the usual; gold everywhere and the inhabitants of the city bustling through the golden roads and pathways, twisting and weaving between houses.

Not a very big city; not many visitors came to Gold City despite it being on the global "must visit" list of places to travel to once in your life. The attitudes of the island's inhabitants and its location gave a sense of isolation. And then there was the fact that the island was sinking...

Claude spotted a gathering of people near the edge of the island. "I wonder what's going on..." He dressed and headed down the stairs of his house...

* * *

_Niko_

They aren't going to leave me alone until they were sure that I'd shelter myself and my future family like they had did with me, are they?  
"Please, we just want you to be safe. You know there are a lot of humans out there who are afraid of anything different from themselves."  
Stupid question... maybe if you two ever left this house and saw for yourselves, you'd realize a lot of them aren't like that.  
"Yes Niko, listen to your father, it's a dangerous world out there."  
Not dangerous enough. Nothing ever happens here, nothing interesting, nothing important. Heh, if you think it's dangerous now, I wonder how you would have liked it during the time when the legendary hero had to save the entire world from being destroyed.  
"Niko? We know you've always wanted to go off and explore, go off on adventures and the like, but we just want you to know it's not like you think it is out there."  
I wouldn't know, I was never allowed to go anywhere without being watched like a hawk.  
"Are you listening to us Niko?"

Well... I guess there's only one way out of this.  
"Yes, I know how you feel, I understand you're worried about me. But I'm past that all now. I'm an adult now and I realize not to waste my life on some glorified grandeur trip. I've learned a lot from you two about this world. When I find a mate, I'm going to raise our children just like you did, so they grow up cautious and safe as well."  
"Aw Niko... we're going to miss you. Please, promise you'll visit us as much as you can."  
"I promise."  
Not for a while though. I love you two, but you kept me fenced in. It's time to finally take hold of what the world has to offer! I'm going to finally taste adventure, do something important with my life. I'm going to be a hero someday... I can feel it.

It had been maybe two weeks since Niko left home. Most of that time he spent just traveling. He had made it to the lower lands by this time and had even visited a city or two. What he found had not excited him too much. Potos seemed to be pretty much a quiet little community. He couldn't imagine anything ever happening there; certainly not the stories he had heard of. Although he had left in search of adventure, he wasn't at a total loss. He had never been out of the desert for his entire life. He had already past most of the upper lands and had even seen Gaia's Navel on the way. Niko was curious by nature, and he found himself almost in ecstasy roaming the forests, admiring nature.  
As he walked, he thought back to the old days, when his friends would visit. It wasn't very often, but the wait was worth it. The only time he could ever wander some distance away from the den, to play the parts of heroes and villains. They would play rough too; often coming home beaten and bloody, bruises and bite marks covering each other's limbs. Niko took a particular liking to their rough housing, and eventually got to the point where he'd often be the one coming home in almost the same condition as he had left it. He was just getting really into fighting when he learned that most of his friends had gone off on what he heard (but what his parents assured him weren't) adventures of their own.  
Though the people were nice in Potos, there was simply nothing to do there. Though normally he would be ecstatic at the thought of making new friends, especially ones of a species he had hardly ever made contact with, he was looking for an adventure. He had left in search of any opportunity to volunteer himself for a quest, an expedition, anything. He had heard from one of the villagers that the Kingdom of Pandora was a pretty busy place. There had to be something there for him to get into. It was a long walk, but certainly shorter than the walk from Kakarra. Not to mention the fact that had he decided not to go, he would have never ran into them.  
He had heard about them from another villager. Something about them coming from the "haunted forest" but Niko had never seen this place. Whether or not they came from this haunted forest, there they were. It was a group of maybe about 6 or 7 werewolves, and not the kind he had heard about in stories either, that were humans by day. Despite the fact that they were slightly different species, these were beings like himself! They'd certainly make good friends to travel with. At first, he simply watched them for a day, trying to work up the courage to talk to them. They seemed a rowdy bunch, but from what he had heard while spying on them, they seemed to lead quite adventurous lives. After the second day, he finally mustered up the courage to introduce himself.  
Coming out of his hiding spot, he approached the group. At the time, they were lounging around, cracking jokes about each other, as they often did in their downtime. As each of them noticed, they all turned their heads and slowly became silent, staring at Niko.  
"Hi!"  
Niko's greeting was returned by the same blank stare.  
"Umm... I was just passing through, on my way to Pandora, and I noticed you fellows here and I thought I'd say 'hi,' you know... us all being kind of the same... heh heh..."  
They continued staring at him, some throwing each other looks and raising their eyebrows.  
"Anyway, I'm from Kakarra desert. I walked all the way here, just kind of been exploring, visiting towns, the like." One finally spoke up. He seemed to be the alpha male of the group.  
"What are you doing here kid?"  
"Oh, well, I left home looking for adventure, quests, anything  
interesting. My parents never really let me wander and now that I'm on my own, I've been looking for action." "How old are you?" "Well, I'm 17, and I.." Before he could finish, he was interrupted by another wolf. "He's a puppy, haha!" Before he could say anything in his defense, Niko was asked another question. "You've never been away from home before?" "Well, no, my mother even made me promise to settle down and raise a family. I told her I would but as soon as I left, I went off looking for adventure."

"Wouldn't want to make mother angry now would we?" At one of the wolves' comments, the rest began to snicker. Niko wasn't quite sure he got the joke but let out a single chuckle, as not to let on that he didn't understand what was so funny. "So pup, this 'adventure' that you like to make so much mention of. Where do you expect to find it?" "Well... actually... I was wondering... since you seem like you lead interesting lifestyles... and since we're kind of the same... Could.. you take me with you?" The werewolves looked at each other, as if contemplating whether or not to agree to his request. Suddenly, they all broke out into wild laughter, leaving Niko a bit confused. "_You_ want to come with _us_?" Niko looked down at his feet as he answered. "Well... yeah." A second burst of laughter sounded, even louder than the first. Another wolf struggled to speak through his hysteria. "Do you even realize there isn't even a need for heroes anymore? I mean ever since.." "Wait!" The alpha male spoke up again, quieting down the group. "Sure, you can come with us." Niko was elated. "Really! I can!"

The other wolves began to crowd the head and whisper to him. "What are you doing! We can't drag some kid around!"

"Hey, we can use an errand boy. And if he acts up, we'll dump him on the side of the road." He turned back to Niko and spoke up again. "Welcome to the pack!"

* * *

_Bade London_

"Sigh What in the name of the Goddess herself are we going to do, the villagers are dropping faster then flies" sighed the Mayor to himself as he had so many times before. "The last visitor here said he would try his best to get that tail, but I doubt he will be capable of it. If only there was anyone left with enough will and strength to make the journey out into the world and find one..." He was standing outside in front of the now very dry watering hole.  
A small, sad, emaciated looking boy was standing near him, wondering what would ever happen to him now. This boy is Bade London; his now recently deceased parents had died during the horrible drought, which had so far claimed many lives. He had lived here in Kakkara Village for his whole seven years of life, and never before been so alone. Clenching a flute in his small hand, he too stares into the now very dry watering hole, which should have still been providing the sustaining liquid of life, which would allow his parents to still be alive. As he stares into it's very empty he reminisces on the past...

His father was once the lead hunter in the small village. Always having lived a happy life Bade never worried about a thing. He simply lived his days by running around with the other young boys, never a care in the world.  
"Bade come in, your father's just returned at it is dinner time!" Yelled his mother from the door of their little house. Bade reluctantly pulled himself from playing and went to eat with his family.  
"Game is becoming a little more rare, it's harder to hunt these days." Bade's father said to those around him at the dinner table. "It is this damned drought, everything is dieing. If we aren't careful this village may be in for some serious trouble. There is tell of a magic item which restores water to lands which are waterless..." Bade, not even paying much attention, never knew the significance of this until it was too late.  
After dinner and going out to play with the other boys for a while, Bade returned to go to sleep that night. As he lies in bed, his mother played a tune he almost loved more then anything on her small flute. It had been a gift from her father, and was one of her most important possessions. The flute somehow seemed to be quite an important item to him.  
"Mommy?" Inquired the boy, "Can I try the flute?" His mother hands him the flute and warns him to be careful, though it would be a bit difficult to do so with it's sturdy design. He blew a few notes and attempted to play a melody in vain. "Can you teach me how to play?"  
After a few weeks of lessons he was able to play a few tunes himself, and had almost mastered the one that he loved so much.  
The water soon ran out.  
His father was first to go. He had been taken to bed for several days and suffered from sever dehydration. Bade could not imagine a death more horrible, and things were soon to get worse.  
As the days went on, more and more fell. The boy was lost as his friends fell to the lack of water. Miraculously, he was capable of surviving off of the tiny stored ration of water he received.  
Now his poor mother had finally fallen to the drought. He stared at her, as she lay unconscious in her bed. He could not understand how this possibly could happen to his mother. This person who had protected, clothed, fed, and entertained him all his life was now about to leave him.  
As he sat beside her, she managed to awaken for a short time. "Bade..." she said weakly, "I want you to have my flute... I... I pray this fate does not happen to you... I did not raise you so, so some accursed drought could take your life... you were meant to do more..." She passed into unconsciousness then and was never to awaken. Bade played a sad melody that night.  
And so Bade has fallen to having a happy full life to having no one and nothing to look forward to in a matter of months. The next day he blankly stared as some of the remaining men buried his mother. He wandered about the streets afterwards, seeing or hearing nothing. As he wandered, he approached the watering hole where the mayor and an aid were standing nearby.

As the boy thought, a huge shadow appeared around him, blocking out the merciless sun so much so he could even notice. He looked upward and saw what appeared to be a beautiful white dragon, which made its way down and landed near the hole. A young man, woman, and what seemed to be a young short girl jumped off the dragon and approached the mayor.  
Quickly the remaining villagers gathered around the sight. As he watched he noticed an extraordinary look appear on the mayors face. It was one of happiness, something he hadn't seen in months on anyone's face. He watched as the young man handed the mayor an item, one that the mayor was trembling at the sight of. He held it up, and Bade saw many faces light up with this joy as well. He hadn't a clue what was happening but the sight of these happy faces excited him. In a manner of moments the mayor tossed the item into the empty hole, spoke words that he could not understand, and screamed in delight as water suddenly burst from the hole. He and the rest of the village rushed forward and drank from the now plentiful supply.  
The man, who he soon learned was named Randi and was apparently the bearer of the ancient and powerful Sword of Mana spoken of in legends, required no thanks but the village deemed him their hero and savior, even handing over one of the moogle belts which they were famous for. Even though he had lost his parents, at the sight of all this joy he was capable of enjoying himself.

Years later, Bade is taken out by the hunters of the village and trained in the arts of hunting his father was famous for. Outfitted in the garb of his father, he was always prepared to go on the hunt. He saw his duty as his life, he knew what could happen to people who are malnourished and never wished that fate on anyone. He never wanted to see his village ever suffer again, and he would die before he would ever allow it.  
He became masterful at navigating the desert, and over time he discovered a mysterious, hidden place. It seemed to be a place where the world would end and a vast emptiness, seemingly full of stars would begin. He felt he was being called to the place, almost believing something was actually calling him. Bade just stood and stared into the abyss, but soon enough snapped to his senses and realized he had game to deliver, he could return some other time, and so he did, many times.  
Many stories came into the small village about their hero Randi. Stories in which he had conquered the Empire and saved the world from the power of the Mana Fortress and even that he was a Legendary Mana Knight who had been capable of defeating one of the God's own warriors, a Mana Beast.  
After years of his life as a hunter, once again the water seemed to be drying. The flow was dieing and a sense of fear was in the air. All could see the magic of the Sea Hare's Tail was fading. Bade would not allow the horrors to begin again.  
"Sir?" inquired Bade approaching the mayor, "About the Tail..."  
"So... you've noticed?" the Mayor interrupted.  
"I doubt anyone could have missed that..."  
"I've been hoping it had been my imagination, but many have brought it to my attention." Sighed the Mayor.  
"I wish to go out and find a new Sea Hare's Tail sir."  
"What? We need you for the hunt."  
"There are plenty of capable men to take my place. I know and can survive the desert; you know this. I can manage through it and can travel to the ocean from where I can find what we need."  
"I... It is your choice lad..."  
"Which I accept readily sir" Bade said quickly and surely.  
"The Goddess knows we need this... sigh You may go, we will provide you with what you need..."  
That night after stocking up on supplies and resting throughout the day, Bade set off on a journey which would turn out to be more then anything he could ever imagine.


	3. CH 1: The Start of an Adventure

**Chapter 1:** _The Start of an Adventure  
_**Arc I:** Fall Unto Destiny  
_By ClaudeLv250_

The World of Mana...or rather, a world formerly filled with mana. This world that has stood the test of time for millennia had no agreeable name, though there were always whispers and rumors that the land where all life and mana was birthed, and once the resting place of the Tree of Mana, had been called "Illusia."

The many lands of this world had been liberated from the death grip of the Empire, and its leader Vandole who sought unlimited power at the cost of all living things. This cataclysm had been averted by a prophesied knight burdened with the last blood of his privileged tribe. In his battle, he was aided by a white dragon and two comrades who had also felt the sorrow of loss. And of course, he held the holy blade, a sword of legends, and a mighty weapon who's creation is so ancient that only the elemental spirits of the world could recite its origin...the Sword of Mana.

With the celebration of life came the healing of the scars left by the ultimate battle. The Tree of Mana had been destroyed by malevolence, and with it followed the eventual fading of mana. Though the world would move on without it, there was no doubt that all would be affected by the turn of events. And one of the lands feeling the loss of mana most, even after ten years, was a small island off the east coast of the Kakkara Desert.

Gold City was called many things: the richest place in the world, an abomination, Vandole's Trophy...

Created to fulfill an insatiable greed, the island's greatest treasure was also its greatest curse. The artificial island's riches were enabling it to slowly sink into the ocean, where it would fully succumb to the waves without the help of mana.

Even so, the inhabitants had still managed to live their lives knowing this. In particular was Claude Augario, a teenage boy sixteen years of age, who had been strolling down one of the streets to investigate a sudden commotion in the city.

Claude walked down the golden road leading to the island's edge, his blue boots trudging along the pavement. The crowd at the boundary of the island only continued to grow as more people gathered by the minute. He marveled at the sight that was the ocean. It was his favorite thing about the island, because it was the only thing that rivaled the gold in endlessness...

He arrived at the site but could not see what the crowd had gathered around. Claude squeezed his way between people until he could get a clear view of what they were all staring at. On the very edge of the island, kneeling with his cane dipped halfway into water was Old Man Zachariah.

Zachariah had become extremely famous on the island after predicting events that would happen during the Legendary Warrior's adventure. He had the very rare and particularly acute ability to sense all types of Mana and would predict events based on its general flow. For awhile, Gold City had increased in popularity despite once being owned by the destroyed Vandole Empire. People had come from all over the world just to see Zachariah...for awhile, anyway. Since Mana was gone, Zachariah had lost his "gift" and with it, his popularity. He had soon become known as "some weird old man that lost what made him special," or so the local kids put it.

Zachariah stood and cleared his throat. All chatting ceased near instantly. "As you all know, this island has been sinking into the ocean by a foot every year since Mana disappeared," Zachariah said, his high, cracked voice echoing through the silenced crowd. He continued, "Back when we still had Mana...Lumina, the Elemental of Light, had blessed the gold with his powers, slowing down the sinking process greatly." Fear seemed to flash on several faces as they remembered what Gold City's inevitable fate would be. In less than a century, it would be sitting at the bottom of the ocean. But its stubborn citizens weren't ready to abandon it just yet.

But what the old man said was true. When Lumina's powers were still in effect, the island would only sink by an inch each year rather than a foot. "I did some measuring today...the island's sinking has decreased greatly." Murmurs started to rise in the crowd. Zachariah cracked a smile on his wrinkled old face, "This is good news...this means Mana is returning!"

What little murmuring there was had ceased. It seemed to take minutes for what Zachariah said to sink into the heads of the multitude. Once it did, there was uproar from the crowd. They immediately began to disperse, cursing Zachariah and discrediting his words. Only one person remained with Zachariah.

"I believe you," Claude said quietly.

"May the Goddess bless you, Augario. The people here may not want to believe it, but they will in due time. The world is in for another treat..."

With furrowed brows, Claude pondered what Zachariah had said but then remembered that he planned on practicing with his sword today. "Well, I gotta go! See you later!" He called back as he dashed down the golden road leading back to his home.

Claude opened the door and jumped into his house with much enthusiasm. However, his parents had already been waiting for him. "He's wearing _that_ again," Mrs. Augario muttered through gritted teeth before Claude even managed to close the door. "Why won't you wear the clothes we buy for you more often?" she asked while looking at her son's current clothing with utter disgust.

"I like what I'm wearing better," was Claude's simple reply, tugging on the baggy red pants before adjusting his blue vest. Mrs. Augario opened her mouth to protest but was cut off by Mr. Augario, "Claude, we found this in your room today..." He revealed Claude's sheathed sword from behind his back, holding it by the brown waistband it was strapped to. He continued with a stern look on his face, "Son, what have we told you about weapons...or what to do if you have any enemies?"

"'_Mock them and laugh, don't chop them in half_'," Claude recalled in his dullest voice possible.

Mr. Augario nodded and beamed proudly at his son. "We mock them and laugh because showing any forms of aggressiveness or violence, which includes weapons, are traits of the barbaric people living in the outsi-"

"_All_ people outside of Gold City are not barbaric!" Claude protested, leaning forward with balled fists.

Mrs. Augario stepped forward, "Claude, you don't know that..."

"Neither do you! To believe that the people living on an island composed of the very thing that produces greed to be...to be the only civilized people in the entire world...that belief is ludicrous!"

Mr. Augario made a mocking chuckle, "It's not like you'll ever find out."

"Oh, but I will! I'll travel the world one day! I'll go to the Lowerlands and visit places like Gaia's Navel and Pandora," the Augario parent's involuntarily twitched at the mention of each place of the outside world, "...Kakkara Desert, maybe even the Ice Country!"

Mr. Augario chuckled again, "Now you're the one with ludicrous beliefs!"

Claude snatched the waistband and sword from his father's arms. He made his way to the house entrance before turning back, "The both of you are hopeless. If your own son can't get through those cement layered skulls then you'll have to stay ignorant to the many surprises and wonders of this world," he narrowed his eyes, "I _will_ get off this island. That's a promise."

He opened and slammed the door with enough force to easily break the ribs of a rabite. Mrs. Augario slumped down into a chair and began to weep while her husband patted her on the back. "He'll come around...they're always rebellious at that age."

* * *

Claude slapped the band around his waist as he marched away from his home as fast as he could until a young female voice stopped him in his tracks. He turned to find his neighbor, Treece Norelle, calling for him.

The girl was about his age and one of his best friends. She was one of the few people in the city that wasn't blinded by greed or beliefs similar to his parent's.

"I heard yelling...what happened this time?" she asked innocently as Claude approached the house.

"The usual, but..." he gestured to the blade on his side, "they found out."

"So what are they going to do about the sword?"

"Absolutely nothing, so I'm going to go practice right now. The day when I get off of this island couldn't come too soon..."

"Believe me," Treece spoke with sudden enthusiasm, "I'd jump at the opportunity to leave this place too! But...I don't want to leave my friends and family forever." She suddenly grabbed Claude's arm. "If you did leave...you would come back, wouldn't you? For me?"

"Of course I would, Treece. I'll take you with me one day."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Good."

* * *

After finally being allowed to leave Treece, Claude arrived at his usual training spot. It was in the front of the inn, which was the perfect spot to do anything in secret. It was almost always empty because people hardly ever came to the island anymore. Citizens wouldn't be caught dead around the inn because they weren't too keen on running into any foreigners. Any actual foreigners that saw Claude practicing couldn't care less about it.

Not that Claude cared about secrecy himself anymore. It didn't matter now that his parents knew about the sword. He practiced for hours, repeating techniques he'd created earlier and trying to make new and much better ones.

"This isn't good enough," he said as he laid back onto the golden tree he made his daily practice target while enjoying the shade. "If only this tree could move and counter my strikes..." He rubbed his finger along a crack in the weapon. He suspected that the sword had its share of problems, being that none of the weapons in the shop were ever attended to by the shop owner since he probably never suspected to sell any of them in the city anyway. Claude nodded off from exhaustion as the Broad Sword slipped from his grip along with consciousness.

* * *

"........Cla....ude..."

"...It's....almost time...."

"......I'm........nearly.....free....."

"....Dess...ten.....nee......AUGARIO!"

* * *

"Wha?!"

Claude woke abruptly from what he thought was someone screaming his name in his ear. Strangely, it seemed to come from Gold Tower. He shot up from the ground as he sheathed his sword while bringing his attention to the empty tower.

"Damn," he cursed while noticing the sun setting. "It's getting late," he muttered while walking on the path leading back to his house. "Dess...ten...nee...? Whatever."

When Claude returned home, he simply went to his room and locked the door without speaking a word to his parents. He slipped under the golden sheets the instant the door clicked shut and tried to return to his slumber, but his mind kept bringing him back to the previous events of the day.

'_I wonder what Desstennee is,'_ he thought to himself. Without coming up with an answer after minutes of pondering, he waved the thought away and finally got some sleep.

* * *

Claude found himself surrounded in a peaceful darkness. Only inches away from him was a blurred glowing ball of white light, bobbing up and down in the darkness.

"Who are you?!" He cried out to it, feeling a sudden urgency to know its true identity.

"Claude, it's almost time," a voice softly emitted from the light that echoed through the darkness. "I'm nearly free."

"I heard you the first time! So tell me, what's Desstennee?" Claude asked impatiently to the light.

"Augario, you are a foolish boy," claimed the being of light, "Destiny."

"...Oh."

"Now," the being's voice turned into a more solemn one, "in order to keep things going at a preferred pace for more time on our side, I'll answer your important questions and get to my point. I am Lumina, Elemental of Light." Claude's gasp went unheard. "I am here to inform you that you are my Chosen One, Claude Augario. It is your _destiny_ to leave this island because the world is in danger as we speak. The old man was right, and we Elementals are returning with Mana. As of now, you are to head to Sage Luka for advanced information on the subject of your destiny."

"..." The information was taking awhile to click with Claude, and he noticed that as time passed, the being began to get clearer.

"Well, Augario? What are you waiting for? GO!"

* * *

Claude was thrust out of his sleep once again by Lumina. It was early morning and the sun had yet to rise. He sat in bed wondering whether or not it was a dream. Perhaps his desires to get off of the island had grown into dreams and delusions trying to give him a reason to leave.

"Oh, I forgot to mention that I fixed your sword."

The young boy darted his eyes around the room. It was that familiar voice, but no one was present. Then he noticed the light emitting from the sheath of his sword. He grabbed the gleaming weapon from its scabbard and inspected it. The light dispersed immediately, but the crack was gone and it looked brand new.

"That settles it. It really happened."


	4. CH 2: Potos Under Fire

**Chapter 2:** _Potos Under Fire_

Claude stuffed food and gold into the small brown pouch that sat on the desk in his room. He moved delicately to make sure as to not wake his parents, using the little early morning light penetrating through his single window to guide him. When he filled it to its maximum capacity, he tied it onto the right side of his waistband that held his sword on the left. He slipped into his blue boots, tightened his short sleeved blue vest, adjusted his headband, then slung the waistband around his waist.

"Okay...I'm all ready...?" Realization hit Claude. He didn't know how to get off the island. "How am I-"

"Claude..." A sparkle of light appeared on his desk. It took to the air and circled Claude's face, lighting his features in the darkness.

"Lumina, is that you?" Claude questioned as he held out his hand for the light to rest in his palm.

"Yes...it's me," the sparkle murmured as it landed softly in his grasp, "Mana hasn't yet fully returned so I cannot appear in my true form."

"Are you here to help me?" Claude asked, staring wide-eyed into the light with complete wonder.

"In a way..."

"So do you know a way off the island?"

"Claude, you yourself know how to get off of this island. Just think back..."

Claude sat down on his bed as he began to think. Lumina had taken to the air once again.

"Cannon travel!" boomed Claude. He soon covered his mouth, realizing the volume ofhis revelation. "Oops."

Claude stood and readjusted his waistband. "I'm ready this time."

Lumina began to do loops in the air, "And your parents?"

"I've told them many times that I'd leave this island. They'll figure it out."

Claude headed down the stairs and opened the door to his house. Lumina circled his face once more.

"I'll return when I feel that my help is needed again. Until then, I'll be watching over you, Augario." The sparkle faded out of existence.

Claude left the house and closed the door quietly, then felt a sudden wave of excitement that caused him to smile. _'I'm finally leaving this island,'_ he thought to himself. He glanced back at his home, then to Treece's home.

'_This may be the last time I see this place...but I promise that I'll return to you, Treece. I'll return to you too, mom and dad...'_ Claude finally walked away, not bothering to look back.

* * *

A short man with wild hair sat on the gold pavement. His loud snoring echoed through the surrounding of dense golden trees that enveloped the small clearing. His sleep wasn't disturbed by the teenage boy that had walked up the path leading from the city, or his calls for attention. Claude had to shake the man to wake him.

There were a few grunts and the man opened one eye slightly in an irritated manner to see who or what decided to interrupt his slumber. He jumped to his feet as soon as he saw the boy.

"A c-c-customer?!" he stuttered.

"How can you be so sure that I'm a customer?" Claude asked, slightly amused.

"I've seen you staring at the cannon before," replied the short man with a smirk. "I could tell that you wanted to get off of this island."

"Well if it isn't a bother to you, I'd like to take the cannon to get off of the island **NOW**. I'm in a bit of a hurry," he added in a softer, nicer tone.

"Sure! Where're ya headin'?"

"Well..." Claude had to think for a moment. Where exactly was Luka? He had read about it in the books... "Oh, I remember now! It's the Water Palace..."

"Wow, that's pretty far," the man cocked his head to the side, "but you don't sound too sure..."

"I'm sure. Now," Claude began to dig through his pouch for some gold, "how much is-"

The short man looked slightly offended, "Free! It's Cannon Brothers tradition for the first customer!"

"You've been open for a week and I'm the first customer?"

"I'm pretty sure you understand the people of this island better than I do. It's like none of them want to leave...ever."

Claude silently agreed and glanced at the cannon. "Speaking of leaving..."

"Oh, right! You just slip right in while I prepare the cannon!"

The man led Claude through some of the dense forest to the already visible cannon. Once they made it through all of the trees, they stood in a small grassy clearing encased by gold trees on all sides, excluding a cliff with a small drop to the ocean below. The cannon stood tall in the center of the clearing on a large pedestal-like structure, pointing to the ocean. The sun had barely started to rise over the horizon.

The man bounced up the stairs of the structure and began to go to work on preparing the cannon. Claude slowly followed behind him and began to circle the cannon, taking in all details. He rubbed the surface to feel the rough texture. And best of all...it wasn't made of gold.

"Well what are you waiting for?! Get in, get in!"

"Alright already..." Claude slowly made his way to the front of the cannon. He cautiously peeped into the hole, half-expecting something to jump out at him. The short man's voice suddenly came booming from behind him and he jumped, startled.

"Haha! You act like you've never seen a cannon before!"

"Don't do that again! I almost fell in...and I never HAVE seen a cannon before, except for in a book."

The man brought a hand to his face and shook his head, "You people block out so many things of the world. Well anyways, get in and I'll light the fuse."

"That's all...I just get in?"

The man had already bounced to the back of the cannon, leaving a scent of gunpowder behind. "That's right, get in and remember to stay rolled into a ball position the entire flight!"

Claude slowly slipped his body into the cannon and curled into a ball. He felt the cannon move slightly as the Cannon Brother directed it into the direction of the Water Palace. As he waited, his only view of the dawn sky, he began to wonder what mentally insane person thought to make cannons a form of travel. He had heard about Cannon Travel, read about it...he had basically done all there was regarding it save for actually experiencing it himself. But now his fascination and excitement was starting to lose to a dose of common sense. Eventually, the cannon travel won out, as Claude feared that he may never leave the island if he didn't take this opportunity now. After all, cannon travel was a network all over the world so it had to be viable on some level.

The cannon then rose a bit while the Cannon Brother shouted "You ready?"

"Yeah..."

The man lit the fuse, "Happy landings! And visit my brothers whenever you need Cannon Travel service!"

Before Claude could respond he found his body hurled at such speeds and force that he thought a Gigas had thrown him with all its rage. The rapid spinning of his body made it hard for him to focus on his surroundings. Once he did, he realized that the golden land mass that was shrinking at a steady pace in the distance was his home and that he was higher in the air than he ever imagine he could reach. With this in mind, as well as the fact that he was flying through the air to a destination he wasn't sure he'd even reach, he tried to restrain the panic trying to rise within him...

* * *

A small furry creature hopped its way through a few bushes and stopped abruptly in the tranquil early morning scene. Its ears shot into the air and twitched at the slightest sound. The rabite that shouldn't be there, was, and in fact had its senses on alert for creatures much like itself. Creatures that didn't belong...but of course the predacious kind of creatures were the ones that made this little rabite vulnerable.

The limbless creature hopped cautiously from its concealment in the bushes towards the river bank with its ears still erect. Reaching the river bank, it lowered its ears when it finally felt safe and began to drink. Not long afterwards, its ears had returned to a familiar position when it picked up an unfamiliar sound and couldn't tell what direction it was coming from. Then, in the blink of an eye, the rabite was blown away by a tremendous explosion of water. The lifeless body of a teenage boy surfaced in the river and was eventually washed onto the dry grass from the current...

Claude awoke with a cough, spitting water onto the grass he rested on. His clothes were damp and he didn't know where he landed, when he landed, and how long he was out of it. He looked up at the sky to see that the sun had fully risen. He picked himself up off of the ground while looking at his surroundings and he couldn't help but notice the large amount of green that surrounded him. He couldn't suppress the smile at the nice change of color and scenery, but he had business to attend to.

He walked through a few bushes, moving the branches of trees out of his path until he stepped onto a patch of dirt which was a stop at a fork and a wooden sign. An arrow pointing east was labeled with 'Cannon Travel Center!'. Claude looked north and spotted the roof of a house with smoke rising, and saw that south led over a bridge and deeper into the forest. After that trip in the cannon, Claude knew where he was going.

"I hope the people in that home can give me directions to the Water Palace," he whispered to himself while walking down the northern path, tending to the slight crink in his neck. It was loosely decorated with flat white cobblestones.

Claude smelt a faint trace of flames in the air, but he dismissed it as a chimney of the house. He continued to walk down the northern path until trees blocked any view he had of the house. The sky darkened with every passing minute. He eventually reached an entrance of some sorts. It was composed of two groups of long logs planted firmly into the ground vertically, forming a gate with enough space for a person to walk through. The logs were old and worn, and Claude noticed inhuman claw markings on their surface. Splinters stuck out in every direction on the outline of the scratchings.

He stepped through the gate and onto the scene of the destroyed village, darkened by the gray clouds above it. Glass lay in the grass. Shingles were ripped from roofs of houses. Doors swayed creakily on their remaining hinges. Entire walls were missing from some houses. People lay on the ground, some huddled around and consoling each other, others too shocked to do much of anything.

An old man near Claude moaned. "You! Warrior..." he coughed.

"But I'm not..."

"You must help him," the old man pleaded in a raspy voice. Claude kneeled down beside him, not sure if leveraging his head would worsen his condition.

"Help who?"

The old man struggled, but sat up with help. "They followed him into the forest...you must help!" He pointed to the west end of the village where a gate similar to the entrance gate was located.

"But the people here need help! I can't just leave you all here," Claude protested with his arms held out at his sides.

"He needs your help more than we do. We will recover eventually, but the evil that did this is after him!" The old man coughed after over-exciting himself with his words.

"You rest...I'll go help this person like you asked." Claude stood and walked towards the east gate. He surveyed the damage and the people of the village trying to recover from whatever attacked. Claude witnessed a mother holding her wounded child, giving him a piece of candy. He found it strange that the mother would console her child by giving him sweets at such a time, but the practices of other towns probably were much different from his own.

He arrived at the forest gate and looked over the trees. Smoke rose out of the forest and was darkening the skies above itself and the village. Just as Claude was about to pass through the gate, the ground began to quake. People cried out in fear and a door fell off of its final hinge. Claude grabbed onto one of the logs for support until the quake passed a few seconds later. A mass of smoke clouds rushed out of the forest, engulfing the previous smoke.

Whatever started the fire in the first place had just made things much worse.

* * *

Claude silently walked through the nearly pitch black forest. The only thing lighting the forest were the flames in the distance. Unfortunately, the darkened sky wasn't helping much.

Something just didn't feel right. Claude kept his hand on the handle of his Broad Sword the entire trip through the forest. He walked over a bridge leading over a small river, only to cross that same river on a similar bridge a few steps later. After a few more minutes of walking through the grassy path in the forest, Claude started to come across thorny foliage. He hacked away at it with his now unsheathed sword.

Claude almost tripped over the body of a dead creature. He couldn't tell exactly what it was in the darkness, but he knew it wasn't human. He walked around the body, his curiosity firmly in check, and further down the path until he reached a small dirt patch on the grassy road. The fire was closer than ever and he could feel the heat of the flames on his skin. The entire area was engulfed in a glowing orange hue, thanks to the blazing inferno.

An innocent looking rabite crept out from under some shrubbery. The creature's eyes were fixated on Claude, who noticed it from the corner of his own eye. "...what's a rabite doing in a place like this?"

The rabite looked harmless but Claude knew from various books that the creature was in fact dangerous if given the opportunity to attack. He contemplated whether to kick the rabite or stab it. The rabite opened its mouth hungrily and lunged for Claude's legs.

It found itself eating a blue boot instead.

The rabite bounced hard on the ground and let out a muffled cry of defeat that Claude would have otherwise found cute if the creature hadn't tried to mutilate his legs only seconds earlier. It retreated back into the shrubbery it came from. With the temporary threat gone, Claude continued hacking through the foliage covering the forest path.

He had finally reached the fire in a somewhat open area. In the heart of the inferno were two figures at a stand off, standing in shallow water where the fire could not reach. One figure stood on a rock sticking out of the pool. He had wild hair and held a sword with a magnificent glow in his hand. The other figure's bulky clothing made it hard for Claude to even make out if it was human or not, and he was too far away from them to hear what the two were saying to each other...

"Of all the people to return from the dead, you would be one of the last on my list...no matter, I'll send you back from where you came." The wild haired man pointed his weapon at the bulky figure.

"Fool, you left me to die but I held on to my life...the passion I felt with the thought of enacting revenge on you alone gave me the will to live!" The bulky figure revealed a sword of his own, "I'm not the same weakling you fought and defeated before!"

The bulky figure charged and the man on the rock leapt into the air holding his sword over his head. He brought the sword down and it met the blade of his opponent's. A crash of thunder sounded from the colliding swords and a spherical shockwave followed shortly after, rushing through and out the circumference of the entire area

Claude witnessed the shockwave spreading, heading in his direction. There was no where to go; the shockwave crashed through everything. Some flames were even extinguished on contact. Claude quickly sheathed his sword and crossed his arms over his face and chest in a defensive manner, anticipating the blast. He was lifted several feet into the air the instant he made contact with the shockwave. He yelled as he was thrown into a nearby tree, then he fell to the ground, unconscious as the shockwave passed further through the forest, knocking small trees over and tossing a screaming rabite into the sky.

The two adversaries had already returned to their original positions, but were looking into the darkness of the forest to find the source of the cry. The wielder of the glowing blade had spotted the young man lying by the tree. The bulky figure took this as an opportunity and lunged at the wild haired man. He noticed this and made a powerful swipe at the ground. There was a flash of light and a crackling sound that muffled a shout of surprise. The wild haired man made an incredible leap off of the stone while his opponent recovered from the attack. He leapt over the water and some of the remaining fires, and then ran over to the body of the unconscious boy. He slung the body over his shoulder, took one final glance back at his recovering foe, and ran into the depths of the forest.

* * *

The man walked through the gate of the forest into the town. The gray sky only managed to get darker with time. The old man stood by his own house, beckoning for the less fortunate villagers to take shelter in it. Shingles were torn from the roof of the house and some windows were broken, but it was in better condition than most of the other homes.

The old man noticed the man carrying the boy over his left shoulder and the shining sword in his right hand, then called out to him. "Randi! What happened to the boy?!"

"It's nothing, Elder," Randi said as he reached the house and sat the boy against the wall. "He was knocked out in the battle."

The elder looked hopelessly into the sky, "Our village has never suffered an attack this powerful before...may the Goddess guide us through this troubled time!"

The elder glanced at the weapon in Randi's hand. "You pulled the Sword of Mana out...?" Randi nodded then started for the entrance of the house. "Wait! Where do you think you're going?"

"I have to get a few things and then I'm leaving. The only reason the village was attacked was because I was here..." Randi entered the house then emerged from it a few minutes with the sword in a sheath and a pouch of supplies.

"You take care of the boy. I have to leave immediately," Randi headed to gate entrance of Potos and disappeared.

"May the Goddess protect you, Randi," the elder whispered.

Claude was out for another hour and awoke confused. The elder rushed out of his home with a smile. "You're finally awake."

"Hey...old man-"

"I'm the Elder of this village," he interrupted.

"Well, Elder," Claude murmured, raising himself off of the ground, "I went into the forest like you asked and I saw two people fighting. I never knew power like that existed! So what happened to me?"

"You were knocked unconscious so Randi brought you ba-"

"Randi...?" he asked in disbelief. "Randi, _the_ Legendary Warrior? Randi the MANA KNIGHT?!" Claude's shouting attracted the attention of some villagers cleaning the mess of their homes. "Where is he?! Where did he go?" Claude looked around wildly, "I don't see him!"

"Calm down, young man. He left over an hour ago."

"Damn," Claude snapped his fingers in disappointment, "the one time I can meet him and I'm unconscious!"

"Now, young man...I have some questions of my own," the elder said while rubbing his chin. "Like, your name?"

"Oh...I'm Claude Augario."

"I can tell you're foreign. And by your sword," the Elder pointed at the blade hanging on Claude's waist, "I'm guessing you're a warrior?"

"I'm not a real warrior; I just have this sword because I like fencing." Claude turned his head to scope the village. He seemed anxious to go out and look for Randi.

The elder's eyes widened and he started shouting, "Then what is a child like yourself doing traveling alone after the recent troubles of Mana?!"

"Stop overacting old man, you may hurt yourself." The elder didn't seem amused. "First, I'm not a child. I'm sixteen! Second, I left Gold City because Lumina contacted me and told me to go see Sage Luka at the Water Palace; the world is in danger. Third-"

"Well that's different," the elder said in a much calmer tone. "If you're destined to help this world, then it's not my place to question your motives. It's just that the world has gotten even more dangerous with mana's return than it was ten years ago. Look what happened to the village..."

Claude surveyed the damage of the village a little more closely this time. "So what _did_ happen to this place?"

The elder closed his eyes, and with a sudden saddened tone of voice said, "_He_ came here, covered in armor with a flowing cape, along with a horde of monsters."

"_He_?" Claude asked.

"I don't know who he is," stated the elder as he started to walk into his home, "but he ordered the monsters to attack and search the homes for Randi. When they found him, he ran off into the forest and they all chased after him."

Claude followed the elder into his house. Many of the villagers were gathered around. Some were still recovering from the attack while others discussed the future of the village and overall damages. The elder sat at a table and Claude sat opposite of him.

"I'm pretty sure the guy you're talking about was the one I saw fighting Randi in the forest," Claude said. He turned his gaze to the door of the elder's house, "I really have to go to the Water Palace though..."

The elder stood from his seat, "The least I could do is help you on your journey." He walked away and disappeared down the stairs of his house for a minute. He returned with some red herbs and wrapped candy in his arms, then sat them on the table in front of Claude.

"What..." Claude asked while picking up the red plant in one hand and holding a piece of candy in the other. "I saw this candy earlier, so what exactly are these for...?"

The elder chuckled, "You really are from far away, aren't you? These are curative items, and," he picked up the red herb and pointed to it, "this, the Medical Herb, rids the body of poison."

"The candy is enchanted," he set down the herb and picked up a piece of candy, "its curative powers heal wounds slightly."

Claude looked at the items in awe, then grabbed them from the table and stashed them into his pouch with a quick, "thanks".

Claude turned to the door, "I really would like to stay and learn more, but I have business to attend to. Maybe I'll come back another day. Well, see you later." He jogged out of the house. The elder walked out, followed by a teenage boy with a pointy red hat much too small for his head.

"Hey Elder, why did you believe what that boy said?" he asked.

The elder gave him a disapproving look. "You were listening?"

"I heard the entire conversation...but you know, that boy could have been lying about the Water Palace. He _could_ be evil!"

"Well, Timothy. When I talked to that young man, I saw something familiar in him," the elder admitted, watching Claude until he disappeared through the gates of Potos. "It reminded me of when I saw Randi after he first pulled the Sword of Mana out of that rock. Not quite sure of his future, but destined to do something...something great."

They both watched the gates of Potos even though Claude had passed through them long ago. Their minds wandered to what the future might hold for the young Claude Augario.

"You know, I hope you're right!" Timothy replied.

* * *

Claude jogged down the road from Potos. It was a few minutes of jogging until he stopped and realized what he had forgotten.

"I...I STILL don't know where the Water Palace is!"

He sighed in defeat.


	5. CH 3: A Ripple in the System

So this chapter took awhile to get up, but this IS the longest chapter I've ever written for any of my stories. Enjoy

* * *

**Chapter 3:** _A Ripple in the System_

"Sorry, kid," the Cannon Brother said in disappointment, "I'd love to have a customer but those smoke clouds are just too thick. It's better that you're safe here than in danger up there."

"I guess you're right," Claude said with a sigh. "Since the Water Palace _is _a destination point of this cannon, you know the directions to it on foot, right?" He asked with some hope in his voice.

"Well, sure." The Cannon Brother scratched his head through his untamed hair. "Well, first, you go south from here and over that bridge." Claude nodded.

"You follow the path, it's straightforward. After a little walking you should come to a split in the path. There's a sign with directions and you should go west. The path is still straightforward from there. There are a few smaller roads that branch off, but if you ignore them and follow the main path, you should be taken straight to the Water Palace."

"Hey, thanks. I thought I'd never find out how to get there." Claude waved and walked from the Cannon Travel area back to the main path. He was back at the dirt patch and the fork in the road. He glanced north at Potos, then looked south.

"Well, he said to go south..." Claude headed down the southern path and over the bridge crossing the small river.

* * *

The teenage girl bowed. "Welcome to the Water Palace," she greeted.

"Well, uh, hey...I don't think we've ever met before," the young man said while glancing nervously over his shoulder. "I'm-"

"Randi," the cerulean haired young woman finished his sentence.

"I'm that obvious?"

"Well, Sage Luka gave me your description many times," she replied, smiling. "I'm honored to meet you, sir."

"Oh, you can drop the 'sir'. Just call me Randi."

"Well, Randi, I'll take you to see Sage Luka right now." She turned around, tightened her green robes, and then led Randi down the hallway lined with large green torches.

There were large stepping panels in the next room that activated whatever contraption they were tied to by applying pressure a top them. They had been receded into the ground, currently serving their purpose as the duo walked over the small bridge structures and reached a shallow pool of water. The water parted as they stepped down the steps into the pool. Randi looked in awe.

"That's new."

"There were complaints about the water, so Sage Luka made things a bit more convenient."

When they had crossed to the other side of the pool, the water returned. They continued up a few steps and arrived at the large pedestal. Luka stood with her back turned to them, staring at the glowing and resonating Water Seed. Her hair reached down to the waist of her white dress.

The girl bowed again, "Sage Luka...Randi is here to see you."

"Thank you, Dae," Luka said, turning to smile at her visitor.

"Luka!" Randi shouted. "What the heck's going on?! Potos was attacked and-!"

"I know, Randi. This is all happening because Mana is returning."

Luka continued to explain the situation to Randi while the young Dae walked over to the Water Seed's pedestal. She picked up a brown sack and sat on the steps of the pedestal. Dae revealed a bow and began to string it up, half listening to the conversation and the other half wandering the far corners of her mind.

"He came after me screaming about revenge, but I know he wanted more than that." Randi scratched his chin and looked up absently, then asked, "What do you think, Luka?"

"I'm not too sure myself, but I've heard of a dark ritual..."

Dae pulled a few supplies out of the sack and began to organize them. She stopped to glance at Randi occasionally. Having the Mana Knight in your presence wasn't something that happened everyday, but she didn't know what to say to him. And the urgency of her upcoming mission was a little more important than trying to strike up a conversation with him.

"If he's planning to do that, I shouldn't stay here much longer."

"But Randi, where are you going to go? You can't run forever."

"I don't plan to. But I really don't know what else to do...he clearly values revenge more than anything else. Any and every person around me is at constant risk the longer I stay with them. I can't let something like Potos happen again. He caught me off guard then, but now I know he's back and waiting to strike. I'll be ready next time." Randi started to walk away, but then looked back and said, "I really should be going now. I took the main path here, so I guess I'll take a more inconspicuous road when I leave. Can't be too safe."

"GOODBYE!" Dae screamed. She covered her mouth in surprise after the awkward stares she received from both Randi and Luka. She didn't mean to let it slip out that loudly.

* * *

The leaves of the Lullabud's stem had wrapped around the blade of the sword. Claude was now in a tug-a-war competition with the monster.

A carnivorous plant, the lullabud was every traveler's nightmare. Disguised as a simple flower, appearing as one of many in an inconspicuous patch, the monster would come to life once any prey was in range. Its pink petals would give way to a large mouth capable of swallowing small animals whole. And to add to its threat level, it frequently uprooted itself from the ground to give chase to those that tried to escape, its small roots acting as a set of tiny legs.

"Let go, stupid plant!" Claude growled. The lullabud's long, thin leaves had a powerful grip on the blade despite their appearance.

He kicked the lullabud. The flower leapt back and started to chomp madly at him. He made a clean swipe at it with his freed sword. Instead of falling apart, the monster was merely thrown back. What creature could survive a clean swipe from a sword like that? Was it really even a plant?

A nearby rabite was attracted by the commotion. It hopped off of the large rock it was perched on and hopped over to Claude.

He glanced behind him at the approaching rabite. "I guess you want a piece of me too..." It snapped at the air menacingly in unison with the lullabud.

Claude brought his sword down onto the plant in an overhead slash. It flew back and fell limp as a flurry of its pedals trailed to the ground with it. The rabite leapt at Claude in a spin, swinging its floppy ears. Claude caught it in a powerful back slash. It hit the ground on its side with a squeal, only inches away from a river. It made no effort to continue its attack in fear of receiving another wound.

Claude sheathed his sword and looked to the sky. The smoke clouds were still present, but they weren't as thick or dark as they had been earlier. The sun had made an effort to break through some of the holes in the smoke. Claude would have actually enjoyed the sight had the rays of light been piercing through actual clouds and not smoke from the burning forest.

Claude walked to a sign near the large boulder the rabite had been sleeping on. It read 'Welcome to Neko's!' He looked down the left path it pointed toward.

"Some kind of shop? Not where I want to go..."

He walked right and up the northern path.

* * *

"Dae, you've been unusually quiet since Randi left," Luka said to the girl sitting on the steps of the Water Seed's pedestal.

"I'm nervous about his arrival but I'm anxious too..." Dae fiddled with the string of her bow once again. "He's coming soon, isn't he?"

"Ah, Lumina's Chosen One..." Luka said with a smile. "Claude – he _should_ be here soon. You should go greet him when he arrives."

"But...what if he doesn't like me? What should I say to him?" Dae gasped and started to pat her wild ponytails. "Is my hair okay?!"

Luka laughed. "You sound like you're going on a date."

Dae stopped and laughed too. "You're right. There really isn't much to be worried about."

"Strange, you weren't fretting over Randi's arrival..."

"His appearance was a surprise. Had I known that he was coming, I might have gone through this routine earlier." Dae laughed again.

Luka's attention had turned to one of the many waterfalls in the Water Palace. In its surface was the image of a young boy opening the doors to the palace. The blue vest, boots and headband, spiked hair, the brown skin and mahogany eyes, those baggy red pants and even the simple sword at his side was all that she needed to see as confirmation of his identity. He began to speak out in the image.

"Well it looks like our visitor has arrived."

"HEY! Anyone here?" Claude shouted in the empty hallway. The only response he got was from the crackling green torches and the echoes of moving water. The scent of fresh water was thick in the air. The torchlights and sunlight mixed and reflected from the water, dancing along the walls and ceiling.

"Guess it wouldn't be a Water Palace without the water..." Claude tugged at the damp legs of his pants. He walked down the empty hall and up the staircase. When he reached the top, his mouth opened in surprise and he ceased all movement.

'_I've NEVER seen anything like it!'_

He looked around at the waterfalls and the platforms leading to the pedestal with the glowing seed on it. Then he carefully moved near the edge of the platform he stood on and looked over the side. The water seemed to plummet into an eternal darkness.

"It's not bottomless, but you wouldn't want to fall down there."

Claude looked up at the teenage girl smiling at him. Her arms were behind her back and she was also leaning over to see beyond the platform.

She had fair skin and blue eyes. Atop her head was cerulean hair. What initially appeared to be a wild bundle of hair rolling down her back was instead three separate ponytails, independent but working together to give her that appearance. The girl was wrapped in a green robe. Claude wasn't sure what kind of robes they were; they weren't particularly formal but it wasn't something someone would wear around the house either.

"I'm Dae Ripple," she introduced herself.

"Oh...I'm Claude Augario."

"I'll take you to see Sage Luka. Follow me, please."

Dae lead Claude up the stairs of the bridge structures. They stepped into the pool as the water parted.

'_Like that matters, since you have to get soaked to get to the palace,'_ Claude thought to himself.

They climbed up the stairs leading out of the pool and the water returned to normal. Luka was waiting for them at the grand pedestal after walking up another bridge structure. Dae went to Luka's side and turned to face Claude. It was pretty clear who was in charge here.

"Welcome to the Water Palace, Claude Augario," the sage welcomed. Her bright red eyes contrasted her appearance, but reflected the warm invite she had just given.

Claude raised an eyebrow, "You're Sage Luka? I thought you'd to be a little older, for a Sage and all."

"I'm a little over two hundred."

"**WHAT?**"

Luka laughed and Dae chuckled to herself. "I love getting that response from people about my age."

"A sage with a sense of humor...I like that," Claude replied with a smirk. "But..."

"You want to know what's going on, right? Well, there's a lot to tell and I'll need my chalice." Luka looked to Dae.

"Yes Ma'am." Dae went over to a staircase to the left of the Water Seed's pedestal and disappeared into a lower area of the Water Palace. She returned with a small pedestal in one arm and a blue chalice in the other hand. She carefully placed the chalice atop of the pedestal and backed away as Luka approached it.

Luka held a firm grasp on the neck of the chalice. It began to magically fill with water. She removed her hand from the neck and began to swirl the water delicately with her fingers.

"Gather around," she spoke softly, "there's something I want to show the both of you."

Claude and Dae approached the chalice and watched as a rainbow of colors began to appear in the swirling water and formed an image.

"Look at that!" Claude exclaimed. This type of magic was foreign to him.

The image was of a teenage boy, girl, and a young sprite child. Their sight was fixated on the magnificent Tree of Mana. The gargantuan tree was the highlight of the Pure Land, towering above everything else.

As Luka began to speak, the image in the water began to shift to different images of the trio's adventure.

"It was barely a decade ago when a young and confused Randi stumbled into the palace with the rusty Sword of Mana, lead here by Jema of Tasnica."

There was a still image of Randi walking through the doors of the Water Palace.

"He went on a journey to save the world with his friends, Purim and Popoi. As the prophecy foretold, a great evil threatened the world and the Mana Knight would wield that Holy Sword and slay the evil while riding a white dragon."

Now there was a still image of Purim, Popoi, and Randi holding the Sword of Mana high above his head, riding the white dragon Flammie towards the Mana Fortress.

"Luka, I know the story...but what does this have to do with me?" Claude asked, never taking his eyes off of the chalice.

"Well, Claude...mana is returning and so is evil. While the prophecy foretold a time when evil would rise and the Mana Knight would slay it with the Sword, this is an entirely different case."

"What's so different about this?" Claude continued to inquire.

Dae spoke up, "There's no prophecy about this. We're in the dark."

"Dae's right about the prophecy, Claude, because the events from ten years ago happened before. History repeats and the prophecy foretold about Randi and his friends."

"However, what's happening now never happened before, and there's no prophecy for it. Technically speaking, _it's not supposed to be happening,_" Dae said with finality in her voice. Her blue eyes, however, showed concern.

"The Elementals and I...we had come to a decision about what to do. We'd choose warriors of our own to send out and stop this rising evil."

Luka touched the water and the images of the past faded out, only to be replaced with images of the present. Claude appeared in the water, and above him was Lumina.

"Claude, you are Lumina's Chosen One. Lumina, the elemental spirit of light, he who currently resides on the golden isle. Dae is Undine's Chosen One. Undine, the water spirit that chooses to live close to this palace."

Dae and Undine appeared next to Claude and Lumina in the water. "The other elementals have yet to tell me who their Chosen One's are, if they've even chosen anyone yet..."

"Luka..."

White flames burned next to Luka, with two glowing yellow orbs swirling around it. Inside of the passive flames was the spherical body of Lumina.

"Lumina? What's wrong? Why are you here?" Luka questioned the spirit.

"So that's Lumina's true form," Claude thought aloud with both eyebrows arched. "You're kinda weird lookin'..."

"Haha...well you got here alright, Augario," Lumina responded.

"Yeah, I did...but one thing's bothering me. You said it was my destiny to come here, but Luka and Dae say that none of this was predetermined."

"Well Claude, it was always your destiny to leave Gold City and visit this palace at least once in your life. The dark events unfolding now, however, aren't supposed to be happening. The course of life, the course of what the world is to become...it's being altered as we speak. You may not understand it now, but our world follows a set of rules that are not immediately apparent to mortals like yourself. Those rules are integral to how life has shaped itself now."

"So there's nothing wrong?" Luka asked.

"No, I just wanted to check up on you all. I'm not actually here, just projecting my consciousness from the Palace of Light in Gold Tower."

"Well I've told Claude as much as there is to tell. Except for one final thing..."

"What's that, Luka? What else do I need to know?"

"Well, like I said, none of this is prophesized. Unlike the previous events of ten years ago, where Randi had to take up the sword because no else would or _could_, you have a choice. You can go back home to your friends and family, or you can fight for our cause."

Claude gaped, "Seriously?"

Lumina added on, "If you go home, I can choose someone else to take your place. You don't have to feel burdened at all."

Claude grinned, "Are you kidding? Of course I'll do this! This is the kind of stuff that people dream about! Now that you've told me there's a problem, how can I not help you fix it? It's not really my style to turn anyone down if it's urgent."

Dae waved to Claude, "Then welcome aboard, partner! It looks like we'll be traveling together after all."

"Traveling? Where're we going?"

Luka approached Claude and held him by his shoulders. "Well, the general idea is to gather with the other Chosen Ones, gain the powers of your elementals, and take on the evil that's threatening the world. And perhaps find Randi."

"I would definitely feel a lot more comfortable with the Mana Knight with us," Dae said with a small sign of relief. "Think of all the things he could teach us rookies!"

Claude couldn't help but smile at the idea of traveling with Randi. "So when do we leave?"

"We're waiting for contact from the other elementals, but there's actually something the two of you can do now."

"And what would that be, Sage Luka?" asked Dae.

"There's a weapon fused with mana in Elinee's Castle. Elinee reformed from her old ways so she should have no problem giving it to you. Just be careful, the Haunted Forest is packed with evil creatures now that mana is back."

"Ugh!"

Luka turned to find Lumina fading out, to her surprise. "Lumina, what's wrong?!"

"The monsters are spawning in the tower again," said Lumina in an annoyed voice. "I better get back and make sure that they don't mess around with the pedestal holding the seed." He disappeared with a puff and the trailing of his voice, "Good luck!"

There was a long silence which Claude broke, "Well Dae, I guess we should go get that weapon." He didn't want to rush her along but he was pretty excited to officially start his 'quest.'

"Okay, Claude." From the nonchalance in her voice, Claude started to wonder if Dae was an experienced adventurer.

"Dae, before you go...you should visit your family in Pandora. This journey is going to be long and tiring, and this may be the last you'll see of them in a long time."

"I'll do that, Sage Luka," Dae affirmed as she grabbed a strap of the brown bag with her supplies. "We have to go through Pandora to get to the forest anyway."

Dae stuck both of her arms through the two straps, with the bag now resting on her back. She stood next to Claude, "I'm ready now."

Claude and Dae headed down the stairs and bridge structures. Luka called out to them, "The two of you, please be careful!"

"We'll try!" they replied in unison.

They entered the hall with the torches and exited through the doors of the palace. Claude shielded his eyes from the sunlight, with faint reminders of doing the same motion the day before.

"Looks like the sky's clearing up after what happened to Potos earlier today."

Claude's attention was taken from the sky when he heard Dae's bag hit the floor. She took her robe off and slung it over her shoulder. She only smiled when she saw him gaping at her and her slightly revealing attire.

"What? It's only my battle clothing. And a wet robe is annoying, you know?"

"Oh...right. It's just...the exact OPPOSITE of the conservative look the robe gave you."

Dae stepped down the steps and into the water. Claude quickly followed behind with his boots in his hands and his baggy pants rolled up; something he thought he should have done during his first trip through the water.

Having crossed through the water, Dae continued the conversation while putting her robe back on. "About Potos...Randi came by earlier and told us what happened."

"What?! Randi was there?!" Claude exclaimed fanatically. He looked around hoping to find some trace of the Mana Knight.

Dae noticed how much more lively Claude had become at the mention of Randi, and slung the brown bag onto her back. "Yeah, but he left about ten minutes before you came," she replied.

"..."

"You really wanted to meet him, didn't you?" Dae asked.

"Who doesn't? Well, I already did...kinda..."

"Kinda?"

Claude looked away towards the ridge of land and water they had been walking along since they left the shallow waters of the Water Palace. "...I was unconscious."

"Oh...what happened?"

Claude absent-mindedly kicked a rock into the water. "Randi was fighting the guy that attacked the village and a shockwave knocked me out..."

"Well, I'm sure that-"

Claude quickly changed the subject and pointed to their right. "Hey, what's those three stone pillars over there? I've been wondering since I came by here earlier."

"Oh, that's a magical portal to the Haunted Forest."

Claude looked at Dae, the pillars, and then looked back at Dae again. "Then why aren't we going over there?"

Dae put a hand on her hip and raised her other arm in the air next to her with her finger pointed to the sky, all in a matter-of-fact sort of way. "You see, there's a wide gap that way and we'd need a rope or whip. So, we have to take the other portal behind Gaia's Navel!"

"Okay..." Claude thought that Dae was enjoying explaining things to him a little too much. It wasn't obnoxious, but it was easy to tell that she got some pleasure out of that. He wasn't going to deny her that if it helped in the end.

The walk along the main path was pretty much silent. Claude noticed that Dae wouldn't speak unless someone else initiated the conversation. Was it possible that she was even the slightest bit shy? But she seemed so open whenever something needed explaining.

Dae stared at the ground as they walked and Claude absently dragged his sheathed sword against an earthen wall. The trees sitting atop the wall rustled with a sudden breeze. The sound of the rustling trees muffled their soft footsteps in the grass and the slight scratching sound of the scabbard against the rocks. When the wind was gone, Dae hadn't noticed that only her footsteps made sound.

"Dae..." Claude's voice was a whisper. She looked back to see him several feet behind her, staring at something ahead of them.

There, in a grassy opening by the lake, were gathered two rabites and two lullabuds. One rabite had a familiar wound, as one side of its golden furred body was matted in dried blood.

Mercy...Claude had shown this creature mercy, and it decided to use its second chance at life by enacting revenge.

"I fought this rabite before, and I let it go." Claude's voice was still a whisper.

"And it decided to get reinforcements for when you returned. These creatures are smarter than I imagined," Dae admitted with fascination. "Do you think they know that we're here?"

The floppy ears of the rabites shot directly into the sky. All four creatures turned their attention to the path leading along the rocky wall.

"You _had_ to ask that, didn't you?" Claude murmured while unsheathing his sword. "Well, we have to fight them, and I'm not going to make the same mistake. At least not with these monsters I won't."

Dae grabbed her bow and an arrow from the bag on her back in one fluid motion. Claude looked back to ask Dae if she was ready for combat but the arrow that whizzed past his face and embedded itself into a lullabud had answered the question before he could even ask it.

Having their companion injured persuaded the angered monsters to charge into battle. Dae nocked another arrow as Claude approached and met the monsters with a wide horizontal slash. They jumped away in surprise. The lullabud that was previously impaled by an arrow soon found its movement severely restricted, as another arrow had invited itself into its stem, catching both leaves and tightly holding them in place. Claude took the opportunity to attack and beheaded (or what could be considered beheading for a creature like that) the lullabud by making a clean swipe through the stem. It exploded into a flurry of pink pedals.

Claude's celebration was cut short as a rabite and another lullabud began to attack him. He was constantly kept on his toes as he sidestepped the lunging rabite and the snapping lullabud. Claude jabbed his sword into the rabite, back slashed the approaching lullabud, and then stabbed the rabite again for good measure. No one would be spared this time, and he made sure of it as he finished the lullabud off with an overhead slash. He sheathed his sword as he surveyed the battlefield littered with pedals and a rabite's corpse. Something was wrong.

Someone was missing.

Claude spun around to witness the rabite, the ringleader, charging towards Dae. He was going to call out to her, but the look in her eyes and the motion of nocking an arrow showed that she was clearly in control. The rabite lunged with its jaws opened wide. She aimed and waited for the perfect moment. The creature was making this too easy.

Her hand swung back and the arrow flew down the rabite's throat. The force of the attack sent the rabite flying backwards a few feet through the air. Its limp body hit the ground with the arrowhead protruding from it. Claude was impressed. It never occurred to him how good she might be with a weapon of her own.

Before he had even drew his own weapon, he had quickly considered taking Dae and making a run down the nearby path leading to that place called _Neko's_. But he had quickly shaken off the idea. They would never help save anyone by running from their battles, and he was glad to discover Dae's skill in action.

"You're good," he praised her as he started to walk over towards Dae. She blushed lightly. Her shyness was returning now that her mind wasn't focused on a battle. Not to mention that the guy she was afraid wouldn't like her was giving her compliments.

"You really think so? This was my first experience of actual comba- **WATCH OUT**!"

What appeared to be an ordinary flower had sprung to live and sank its teeth into Claude's left leg. Claude fell onto his backside, mostly from shock. Arrows rained down and pinned the lullabud to the ground. Claude finished it off by promptly jabbing his sword through its body and into the ground. He was rewarded with a flurry of pedals as Dae ran and kneeled down next to him.

"It's not that deep...all this fabric from these baggy pants does come in handy," he joked.

"You feel okay? Nothing is out of the ordinary?"

"No, everything is...is...ugh!" The pain in Claude's leg suddenly spread throughout his entire body.

"What's wrong? You're poisoned, aren't you?" Dae asked worriedly. She gasped as Claude's skin started to faintly turn blue. It was a common poison amongst lullabuds and several other monsters, and it wasn't fatal, but it was known to be painful for the recipient, wracking their bodies for hours until flushed from their system.

In one swift motion, Dae slammed her bag onto the ground and searched through its contents madly. Items began to fall out from her ferocity. Claude started to reach for the pouch on his waistband but Dae grabbed his arm to stop him.

"Don't move. It'll only make it hurt more." Realizing her mistake, she quickly retracted her hand. Just touching him could have sent a wave of pain through his entire body. She noticed that he didn't react to her touch, so she assumed that the poison hadn't fully affected his body just yet.

Claude had to admit that the pain was annoying but it wasn't unbearable. A smile flashed on Dae's face as she ripped a red herb from the bag and held it in the air triumphantly.

"Eat it!" Dae said while tossing the Medical Herb to Claude. He grabbed it from the air and took a bite.

It didn't have the best taste in the world. In fact, it had a strange spicy aftertaste. In seconds, the pain disappeared and Claude's skin returned to its natural brown color.

Claude looked at the half-eaten herb in his hand with awe, "This thing is powerful! Never had to use one before."

Dae was scooping the contents that had been removed in her frenzy back into her bag. Claude stood and pulled his sword out of the ground.

"Thanks," he said while returning it to its scabbard. Dae blushed again as she returned her bag to its position on her back. She took a deep breath and tried to initiate a conversation as they continued down the path towards Pandora.

"That was a Lullabud, and it's dangerous because-"

"It's poisonous and can camouflage itself with other plants," he finished the sentence for her. "I know, I read '_Dan Shiner's Beastiary_'."

"Oh..." Dae replied and looked to the ground, and then to the river they were walking next to. "I learn all my information from Luka. I've never read that many books."

"Books were my only access to the outside world in Gold City. Dan Shiner did an observation and study on the many creatures of evil that appeared ten years ago. Did you know that he even interviewed Purim for info?"

"Coincidentally, Purim still lives in Pandora."

"Oh, I completely forgot." Claude smiled, "We should drop by her place while we're there. I HAVE to meet her, and she should probably know that the world is in trouble again. We'll definitely need her help." He let out a small chuckle. _'That's funny,'_ he thought. _'The world is in trouble...I can say that so calmly despite the implications.'_

"That's fine by me, although I don't know her personally myself," Dae told him. "I've been in that palace for so long..."

They started to cross over the river on a small bridge. Claude released a sad sigh.

"What's wrong?" Dae asked.

"I knew everything there was to know about that lullabud, but it still got me. I let my guard down." Claude sighed again, "Even though I agreed to help protect the world, I'm still an amateur when it comes to fighting evil."

Before Dae could reply, a rustling from the bushes and trees cut her off. Just as they stepped off of the bridge, a man burst from the darkness of the shrubbery in a run. He would have crashed into Claude and Dae had they not pivoted out of the way. The man craned his neck as if to say something to them but he tripped over his own feet and fell against a large tree, back first. An apple was loosened from the collision and comically fell onto his head.

Dae giggled but Claude rolled his eyes. She may have been amused by this man's antics but he hadn't forgotten that the man had almost knocked them into the river.

"Sorry, sorry..." the stranger muttered as he picked himself up off of the ground.

"Are you okay?" Dae asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," said the man, dusting himself off. The man stood tall, in a sleeveless brown vest and blue pants. He wore brown shoes and black gloves that revealed his fingers. This man was well built and quite capable, yet he had an air of peace about him.

"What were you running from that almost caused you to knock us down?" Claude asked with annoyance clear in his voice.

"Well...there's an old village hidden back there, but it was overrun by Kid Goblins."

"Oh no..." Dae whispered.

"But that happened around ten years ago. They're back, and there's something...valuable there that I need to get. There are more of them than I thought so I might have to get some help and come back later..."

The man's eyes trailed to the bow sticking out of Dae's bag and eventually to the scabbard by Claude's side.

"...You're warriors?"

"Well you could say something like that," Claude replied.

The man leaned forward with a mix of hope and anxiousness on his face. "You can help me!"

Claude wasn't exactly thrilled by the idea. "Whoa, wait a minute...".

"What's wrong?" The stranger asked innocently, standing upright.

Dae spoke up, "Well...there's something important we already have to do, and..."

"We're not going to risk our lives over something..._valuable_," Claude cut in. He did not like the vagueness behind the story they were told.

"I...see..." the man said disappointedly. "I guess I'll...go home then..." he said as he started to walk down the path leading to Pandora and Potos.

"We're sorry..." Dae apologized.

"You shouldn't be sorry," Claude told her. "What we have to do is pretty important, and Luka wanted us to get that weapon as soon as possible. We have a prior engagement and we don't even know if he's telling the truth." They continued to walk down the path.

"I know...it's just that he looked like he could really use our help. And we never even got his name..."

"What he should be doing is staying home rather than trying to pick fights with monsters if he doesn't have to."

The duo stopped at a fork in the road. "Pandora shouldn't be that far away now," Dae mentioned, leading Claude down the southern path.

* * *

The guard paced back and forth in front of the makeshift gate of logs marking the entrance to the town. He wore a plain grey helmet, blue pants, and thin armor: The standard uniform. Even with the monsters roaming around, guard duty was still boring. The guard yawned and stretched...then spotted two approaching figures in the distance. He readied his weapon for whatever danger was approaching...then lowered it as he ran into an embrace.

Claude stood in confusion. He remembered walking down the path with Dae, then watching her take off at supersonic speeds, heading straight for a simple guard watching over the entrance to Pandora.

Dae and the man finally pulled themselves apart. "Dae! What are you doing here three days early?"

"There's something important I have to tell the family!" She said excitedly. The man turned his attention to the boy behind Dae.

"Oh...Ren, this is my traveling companion, Claude. Claude, this is my older brother Renaldo."

Renaldo rolled his eyes at the mention of his name. "Just call me Ren." He turned back to Dae and with a sly grin, said, "So...you picked a GUY to be your traveling companion, huh?"

Dae blinked, "What do you mean?"

Ren and Claude laughed as Dae tried to figure out the hidden meaning behind her brother's words.

"What?! I don't get it!"

"Haha...well, you should go home. My shift is almost over so I'll see you guys there in a bit."

* * *

Dae opened the door to her house only to be met with the aroma of cooking food.

"Mom? Dad? I'm back!" She called as Claude lightly closed the door behind them.

There was a shuffling of feet from the upper floor as a young boy zipped down the stairs in a blur and tackled Dae to the floor with a hug.

"Noa!" Dae cried.

It wasn't until Dae got back on her feet that the young boy noticed that they had company.

"Who's that?" he asked inquisitively.

"This is my traveling companion Claude. Claude, this is my younger brother Noa...and those are my parents, Nathan and Florice Ripple," she gestured to the entrance of the kitchen where her parents now stood. Nathan had short brown hair, much like the oldest son, and Florice had long cerulean hair, which would explain the hair of the two youngest children.

"Dae, you aren't supposed to be here for another three days. And you've brought a guest!" Florice grabbed her daughter for an embrace.

Dae closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment. "There's something important I have to tell everyone, but I want to wait until Ren gets back."

"So what's with this three days stuff?" Claude asked once mother and daughter had broken apart.

"I get to visit my family once a week. I usually pick the last day of the week to do it."

"Claude, was it?" Nathan said while shaking the young man's hand. "Thank you for traveling with our daughter. Times are dangerous now with the appearance of monsters again...please, sit down and relax."

The family gathered around the table and spent the time talking, mostly about Claude. He tried his best to convince Noa that he wasn't cool because he had a sword, and the rest of the conversation was about Gold City as he described the golden roads, buildings, trees, and grass to his captivated audience. Seeing how entranced they were with his home, he warned them of the people and their attitudes towards outsiders. He didn't really expect the Ripple family to ever make their way to Gold City, but he still felt it was his duty to tell them his feelings on the subject.

Ren returned home as the sun began to set. Shortly afterwards, dinner was served: it was a bird native to the Upper Lands, and a few vegetables Dae had brought that grew best near the shallow waters of the Water Palace. Once the bird was thoroughly devoured, Dae decided the time was right to tell the family.

"I'm ready to make my announcement..." she said quietly. All eyes turned to her.

"I'm home early and am here with Claude, because we are preparing for a journey..."

"Really? Cool!" exclaimed Noa, bouncing in his seat.

"What kind of journey?" Ren asked, propping up his chin with the back of his right hand..

"A journey...to save the world. Mana has returned and with it, so has evil. Claude and I are chosen to do this. It's going to be long and dangerous so I wanted you all to know that-"

"NO!" Florice shrieked, jumping up from her seat. "I won't allow it! First my only daughter is locked up in that Water Palace, now you're being sent on a journey that would most likely get you KILLED!" She broke down and began to sob.

Dae was shocked. She had no idea that her mother resented her Sage training so strongly.

"But...mother...we had a choice. I want to help everyone of my own free will."

Florice only continued to sob, too broken to reply. Nathan grabbed his wife and began to lead her upstairs, when he stopped and said, "I think you two better rest here for tonight. We'll have to discuss this tomorrow." They both disappeared to the upper floor.

Dae sighed, "I didn't expect that reaction at all."

"I think my parents would have reacted the same way," Claude murmured. He wasn't sure what to say, as he had found himself similarly opposing his parents on certain matters and never really finding a solution to them.

Ren stood from his seat, "Dae, if it makes you feel any better, I support your journey." He grabbed Noa and started to carry him to his own room. Such an outburst was foreign to the youngest of the children and he was left shaken by the event.

"It does make me feel better, Ren...thanks."

Claude stood from his own seat and walked away from the table towards the window. It was almost completely dark outside.

"The mana weapon...we still have to get it," he said

Dae shook her head, "The weapon can wait. The Haunted Forest will be dark regardless of the time, but at least it won't be pitch black in the morning like it would be if we went there now."

Claude sighed with a hint of disappointment, "I guess you're right. We can leave tomorrow morning..." He was looking forward to seeing more of the Lower Lands before the day was over.

As the activity in the house settled down, its occupants turned in for the night. Two of them however, lay awake, as both pondered what tomorrow would bring. Neither teenager could imagine how thrilling their adventure would become, and who, or what, they would come across in the process...

* * *

Well that chapter is finally out of the way, and believe it or not, the 4th chapter is already finished. That's just one advantage of having multiple authors. If you didn't figure it out from that, I didn't write the 4th chapter, but I will be writing the 5th.


	6. CH 4: Run with the Wolf

It took awhile but Chapter 4 is finally ready to be posted. As I said before, this is the first chapter that's not written by me, but by co-author and my good friend Niko. It feels good to take a little break while another author writes...of course that little vacation is over and I'm already working on Chapter 5.

The story's perspective will temporarily change from Claude and Dae to another character. You'll see who it is.

----------

**Chapter 4:** _Run with the Wolf __  
__By Nicholai Ivanovanovich_  
  
Niko hurdled some bushes and ducked through some alleys, still clutching the large cut of meat against his chest. From behind him, he could hear the voices of angry villagers searching for him. Coming out of an alley, he backed up against the wall to catch his breath. Quickly, he thought back to how he was talked into this.

* * *

"We need to eat too."  
Niko was feeling uneasy.  
"But... why can't we just... buy it from them, like regular villagers?"  
"Look at us Pup, we're not regular villagers. They look upon us as monsters!"  
"Yeah Pup, they don't even let us near the villages."  
All of them staring at him, as if the future of the pack depended on him put so much pressure on Niko, he had forgotten about how the villagers had almost no problem with him.  
"They don't? That's not fair."  
"So you see what you have to do Pup. It's for the good of the pack."  
"Hmm.... alright.... if it's for the pack..."

* * *

He looked past the corner to see several shadows carrying pitchforks coming through the alley. It only gave him more reason to believe what the wolves told him, and he began to run again. It wasn't long until he made it out, him being much faster than the villagers, and he began walking back into the woods. A short while later, he met back up with the pack, lounging in the shade waiting for him.  
"Nice work Pup! Food's here!" The Alpha male shouted out to the rest of the pack. A second one stood up and remarked rather artificially on the announcement as he reached for the slab of meat.  
"Yeah, good job, the pack is saved."  
The compliments helped to make Niko feel better about what he did, but there were still some lingering thoughts of immorality.  
  
Later that night, the meat was being finished up around a small fire. Niko sat off a bit from the rest of the wolves, as they often had him do. He didn't mind too much. Until he became a full-fledged member, he didn't expect to be accepted completely yet. He looked up happily when one of them addressed him.  
"Congratulations Pup. You're well on your way to becoming one of us. Here! For a job well done." He tossed a slice of meat to Niko while several of them chuckled.  
Though the others laughed at the size of the cut tossed to him, Niko, in his naivety, was grateful, thinking this another step in his path to becoming a member. It made his small portion taste a bit better.  
  
The next morning, he was woken up in the usual manner, one of the wolves kicking him sharply in the side.  
"Pup, wake up. We're moving to a new area. The people don't like us here."  
"They don't want us here?"  
"No, I told you they hate us. Come on, let's go."  
"Jeez... that is unfair."  
  
So they set off in search of a new place for camp. As usual, Friki, the alpha male walked in front, leading the way, while Niko trailed behind in back, lugging around all their equipment. It wasn't long until he was panting from exhaustion from the load he was carrying, not to mention the sun beating down on him. He didn't think he could go on any longer when he was ordered to stop. He was told that because he carried the equipment, he'd get some time to rest, but that they'd have another job for him soon. Nodding his head while still panting heavily, he lied down, flat on his back and stared at the sky.  
He began to doze off for a bit before he began hearing some scuffling sounds. He slowly sat up and turned to see two of the wolves, Geri and Talek fighting each other while several others looked on. It didn't appear as though they were angry with each other, but playing around, like Niko and his friends used to do! He bolted up and watched excitedly as they circled each other.  
"You're getting slow Talek."  
"Still too fast for you!"  
They lunged at each other, fighting in a way Niko had never seen before. They never used their teeth, or even their claws. There was no pouncing or wild grappling. They kept their distances from each other until attacking, striking out with their fists and elbows, throwing high kicks and executing amazing aerial attacks. Even more astounding to Niko was the fact that after every onslaught by one opponent, the other would defend it as if it were coming at him in slow motion.  
Before he could work up the courage to ask them if he could join, he was approached with another job; gathering firewood for the next few days that they would be staying here. He watched out of the corner of his eye while he hunted for the wood, all the while becoming more and more excited.  
Later that night, around the campfire, Niko listened in as the two discussed their earlier match. He had been studying their styles all the while they were practicing, and so he could follow along for some of their conversation.  
"You're getting out of practice Talek."  
Talek shrugged and leaned back onto a mossy log.  
"I'm still good enough to beat you."  
"Not for long from the looks of it."  
"Well, since when was the last time we actually had to fight like this? You know things are different now."  
"That doesn't matter. You know how long the arts have been part of our heritage. Even if we don't need to use them, we can't let them degrade to nothing for future generations, in case they ever need to be used again."  
"I'll get back into it again someday, don't worry."  
"You'll get back into it tomorrow. I'll see to that."  
Talek huffed and laid out flat.  
"I don't know what you're so bothered about. I can still beat you."  
"We'll see."  
Niko sat in such anticipation; so great, he could hardly hide it. They were going to fight again tomorrow! He figured he'd spend another day watching them until he tried it himself. Though near the end of his life at home, Niko had become the better fighter amongst his friends, these wolves looked very good, a lot better than him. He began to fidget around and toy with his tail.  
"What's wrong Pup? Hear something?"  
He looked up quick, jumping, surprised at the mention of his surname, almost nervous and acting suspicious as if they had caught onto the reason for his restlessness.  
"What? Me? Oh, no, nothing."  
"Having trouble sleeping? Good. Cause you're watching the camp tonight. Don't want any villagers still looking for us to find us here asleep do we? Well, have a nice night Pup."  
Before he could protest, as if that would have helped anyway, Friki turned over and appeared to go right to sleep. Even if he wasn't asleep, there was little to no chance he'd listen anyway. Niko stood up and surveyed the camp. A small pack of equipment lay a few feet away from the fire which was now kept much smaller. Everyone seemed to be asleep, and everything seemed to be in order. Niko looked at one of the trees and back at the wolves. They looked asleep... what could it hurt? He walked over to one of the trees, about as human size in width. With his hand on his chin, he turned back once again to the werewolves to make sure they were asleep. Shrugging, he turned back to the tree, looking it up and down. He reached out, dragging his claw across it, leaving several rips in the bark.  
"Hmm... it couldn't hurt..."  
Niko crouched down a bit, leaned back, and struck the tree with his elbow. Hmm. He didn't see why that was so much better than a claw strike. He thought some more and then lowered himself again. He lunged forward, kicking about head level on the tree, mimicking what he had seen earlier as best as he could. When he brought his leg down, the back of it began hurting. He had never brought his leg that high before. As he rubbed his hamstring, he began wondering why they fought like that at all. Niko looked down at his fist. Usually he had only struck down with it while clenched, how strong could it be to use his knuckles? Figuring he'd give it one final try, he balled up his fist, reared back, and punched the tree with all his might. Hmm... he noticed some strange feeling of power immediately following the strike. He began to bring his hand back when he noticed another feeling. His knuckles began to feel as if they were on fire, and they kept getting hotter until he let out a sharp yelp and cradled it with his other hand. Waking up quickly, Nikki, one of the wolves' mates, heard Niko's cry.  
"Who's there? What's going on?!"  
Niko jumped and held his hand behind his back.  
"What?! N.. nothing! I... uh.. thought I saw something!"  
She stood up and walked over to him.  
"Oh.. Nikki, it's you..."  
She had always been nicer to him than the others, helping him carry things, sneaking him extra food after hunts. She looked around his shoulder and he turned to hide his hand.  
"What's wrong?"  
"Oh... nothing."  
"What do you have behind your back?"  
Despite Niko's attempts to keep it hidden, Nikki grabbed his arm and yanked out from behind him. His fingers were bruised and his knuckles bleeding.  
"What happened?"  
"I... hurt my hand."  
"Here, let me take a look at it."  
  
After bandaging his hand, the two sat down and talked for a bit. Nikki  
"Why did you want to come with us anyway?"  
Niko loved talking about adventuring, though he had never really done any.  
"Well, when I was younger, I had always heard fantastic stories of heroes who came together no matter who they were to battle great evils and save mana. I always wanted to be a part of something that important, but I was always forced to stay near the den. I heard a lot about werewolves in these stories, but I never thought I'd meet any!"  
"But you aren't treated very well."  
"Ah... Friki told me that's because I'm not a member of the pack yet. He says once I'm initiated, I'll be treated like just like everyone else!"  
Nikki sighed and stood up. She didn't like seeing him abused this badly. She considered telling him to leave while they were sleeping but he looked so happy.  
"Okay then, I'm going back to sleep. By the way. No villagers are going to come after us. You can take a nap now."  
Niko smiled and stood up as well.  
"That's okay, I'm not tired." He wanted to stand guard as he was told, though he was rather exhausted from carrying their supplies everywhere. He was close to becoming a member of the pack (in his mind at least) and he didn't want to screw it up. Walking back over to one of the camp boundaries, he leaned up against a tree and watched the sky. The view reminded him much of his home, how he would lay on his back in the desert and look at the stars.  
"One day... they're going to name one of those stars after me... one day..."  
Niko could see himself, with several other unfamiliar faces, fighting some great battle in the name of good. It looked so vivid, he could almost make out the faces of those whose sides he fought by.  
  
"Errrmmm..... any trouble Pup?"  
Niko jumped, waking up quickly as he was beckoned. He looked down and saw Friki stirring, rubbing his eyes.  
"Umm.. no, nothing."  
"That's good. Nice work Pup." Frikki stood up and began waking up the other wolves sharply.  
"Wake up. We've got new territory to check out. See what we can find."  
Geri stood up and began to stretch.  
"Yeah, and you've got a beating ahead of you today Talek."  
Talek stood up as well and brushed his hair back.  
"We'll see about that."  
  
Once again, Niko sat off to the side, looking on as Talek and Geri prepared to face off. Geri shook his arms out as he began taunting Talek some more.  
"How long has it been since your last loss?"  
"I don't recall having one."  
"Well, there's a first time for everything."  
"You talk an awful lot for someone who just yesterday couldn't beat me."  
"Well I didn't show you all of my tricks yesterday. I've got some new things for you."  
  
Niko began to understand the mechanics of how they fought slightly more as he watched. They used technique and speed rather than strength and sheer ferocity. He watched as Geri tired Talek out, dodging his attacks and striking back with weaker, but quick counters of his own. It wasn't long until Talek was on his knees gasping for breath, accepting defeat.  
"I told you Talek, you're getting slow."  
"Nonsense, I'm just... rusty. It's early."  
"Hah, look, even Pup is a witness this time. You saw him Pup, what do you think?"  
"What would he know about fighting?"  
Niko's ears perked up. This was the moment he was waiting for!  
"My friends and I used to fight all the time. I was pretty good I guess."  
Talek was beginning to become quite aggravated.  
"There's a difference between children's games and the Arts."  
"Oh-ho Talek, getting jealous are we? Why, I bet Pup could take you!"  
"This child? Hah, I'm not getting that slow."  
Geri lowered his voice, speaking in a tone only audible to Talek.  
"Listen, he's a vulpine, they're quick by nature. Maybe he can help."  
Raising his voice again, he called over to Niko.  
"Right Pup, come over here and show him what you've got."  
Niko bolted up and sprinted over to the two, smiling as he panted.  
"Calm down now Pup, don't want to tire yourself out before you start."  
Geri turned and whispered to Talek once more.  
"Go easy on him. Don't want to kill him after we've just found another use for him."  
  
Talek turned and smiled evilly to Niko, who returned the glance with an excited toothy grin.  
"Well Pup, are you ready."  
Niko nodded excitedly, bending his knees a bit and lowering himself. Talek put his hands up in the werewolves' traditional fighting stance. Niko remembered how they fought differently, and in turn brought his hands up a bit, as he was still dependant on his former style. Talek circled Niko confidently, who couldn't think of anything else to do but follow his opponent's movements. Talek worked his way closer to Niko before finally stopping momentarily, then lunging forward at Niko with a flying kick. Although he wasn't as good a fighter as Talek, Niko was still quick, and he dove to the ground, rolling under Talek as he sailed overhead. His smile faded a bit as he came to his feet. Could he do that? He'd never tried it before. What else did Talek know that Niko didn't? At this point, it was too late to ask such questions. All he could do is survive off of what he knew.  
Taking from what he had seen, Niko lunged forward a step and threw a quick punch. Talek saw it coming and easily ducked under it, awaiting more patiently. Not knowing any better not to, Niko threw several more, beginning to get a feel for the style. What he didn't realize was that with every failed attack, he opened up more and more of a crack in his defense that Talek continued to exploit until he almost couldn't stand it anymore. Countering with great ease, he caught Niko off guard with a low kick to Niko's leg, bringing him down to a knee, then followed it up with a shin kick to his chest, knocking him to his back. Niko shook his head clear and got back up to his feet, deciding to take a more defensive standpoint. Although he wasn't learned in technical defense, he was still quick, and able to dodge many of Talek's attacks, frustrating him. Geri began to heckle Talek from the sideline as he growled louder and louder with each missed strike.  
"Hah! What did I tell you Talek! Too slow! Even Pup is too fast for you."  
Both fighters looked to Geri as he laughed from the side; Niko smiling with glee at the "compliment," Talek snarling in contempt. Having more than enough for one day, he decided to end this embarrassment, and leapt into the air at the still distracted Niko. Looking up, Niko was just in time to see Talek performing the wolves' signature whirlwind kick, but not in time to dodge it. His world spiraled around him and came to an abrupt stop as Niko hit the ground. His head still spun and everything remained a blur as he lay on the forest floor. Talek dusted himself off as Geri approached and whispered to him.  
"Take it easy, okay? He's not that durable."  
  
The next thing he knew, Niko was being helped up by Geri and was having a bit of trouble standing.  
"Ugh... what happened?"  
"You did pretty good Pup! We've decided you're going to help Talek here get himself back into top shape."  
"Really? You mean you're going to teach me how to fight like you do?"  
"Er... sure! Soon, you'll be ready for any trouble that you might encounter."  
  
And so, between the chores, the abuse, the guard duty, and the occasional errand, Niko became Geri's training dummy for keeping the traditional martial arts strong among those in the pack who weren't as concerned with their heritage. Though he never really was taught anything, just the involvement kept Niko from realizing that he still had not risen above the role of pack errand boy; and he did learn a thing or two just from experience. Nikki continued to look on with discomfort. Though she was loyal to Friki and the pack, she couldn't stand to see him abused this way. She felt like she wanted to do something, but she did belong to Friki, and Niko did look happy. That's what matters in the end, or at least that's what she hoped.  
  
It wasn't long until Niko's curiosity got him into trouble once more, this time more than he had ever been in before. He had learned quite a bit just from observation and exposure, much more than the rest of the pack had realized. During one training session, he thought it would be a good idea to show what he had learned. His opponent was unaware of this, and was taken aback at the sudden change of skill. Kaiser, his opponent, took this action as rebellious behavior and as an insult. For all he and the rest of the pack were concerned, Pup was simply a training tool. He wasn't allowed to win. Kaiser upped his level of intensity, no longer concerned with injuring his partner. Niko noticed the change and regarded it as a test, in turn matching it. In his mind, this was his test to pack admittance. He couldn't help but smile as he dodged and weaved around every one of Kaiser's attacks.  
This further annoyed Kaiser, now not only was Niko not "cooperating," but he was making him look like a fool. There was no way Pup was going to make him look bad in front of the pack. He began to go all out, catching Niko with a hard kick to the body. Niko keeled over a bit, then looked up and smiled. He immediately flashed back to when he skirmished with his friends.  
Niko thought to himself as he stood back up. "So... Kaiser wants to play? I'm finally being treated like a true member of the pack!" He lunged forward, matching Kaiser's speed and intensity. Though he lashed out with hostile intent, Kaiser could not land a single blow, and swung wildly at Niko. Taking his time to dodge them as Talek had during their first match, Niko waited for the right opportunity. Kaiser snarled viciously and threw a careless right hook, which Niko caught and stepped under, flipping him onto his back.  
The other wolves began to take notice of Kaiser and Niko's fight, noting specifically that Kaiser was going full speed, and Niko was winning. Kaiser growled in anger as he scrambled to get up. Before he could get to his feet, Niko crouched and knocked the wind out of him with a reverse punch, keeping him down. Niko smiled to himself in satisfaction, thinking that he must have passed his initiation. Before he could revel in his victory, he was struck from behind, and fell to his knees. His instincts told him he was under attack, and his first response was surprise and fear, but when he turned to see Friki advancing on him, he thought it must have been the second part of his test. When he came within range, Niko shot to his feet, side-kicking him in the solar plexus. Before he could follow it up, he was blindsided again, falling to one knee. Another kicked him to the ground and immediately the pack was upon him. He tried his best to cover himself from the kicks and stomps but soon began losing his grip on reality. As everything began to blur, he could hear Nikki begging them to stop as she tugged on Friki's arm. It was only a few more seconds before he blacked out. 


	7. CH 5: The Woes of Terran

It's been awhile, but Chapter 5 is finally complete. The Story's perspective returns to Claude and Dae, with the formal introduction of another character. His bio can also be seen on my website, with a portrait just like the other characters.

* * *

And now to the main story! 

**Chapter 5: **_The Woes of Terran  
By ClaudeLv250_

The repetitive sound of pounded wood echoed through the silent village. After a few more moments of silence, Dae went to raise her arm and knock again when Claude intervened.

"Are you sure Purim lives here?" He asked skeptically.

"Yes, I'm sure..." she said in a frustrated sigh. Claude folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the wall of the house, looking up into the early morning sky.

The sun was barely rising, so the village was engulfed in the light blue hue of the sky. To complete the serene setting, the sound of chirping crickets and other insects communicating was all that occupied the Village of Pandora. Save for Dae's knocking.

"I just don't understand..." Dae's hand retreated from the door. "Where could she be at this time of morning?" she pondered.

"Well..." Claude started, "Maybe we should go get that weapon and come back. If she's not back by then, we can at least ask around the town. No one's up yet."

"I'm liking that idea right about now," Dae said, realizing just how alone they were at the moment. The silent and empty Pandora was an unfamiliar and almost eerie sight to her. She didn't want to be out here anymore, and thoughts of further traveling the Lowerlands with Claude seemed welcoming to her at the moment.

"What about your parents?" Claude propped himself off of the wall. "They really wanted to talk."

"My mother is probably going to give me a speech telling me not to go," she said with a sigh. "I chose to go myself and there is nothing she can say that will change that."

"But still...you could let them know that we're leaving." Realization hit Claude. He had done the same to his own parents. "You know what? Nevermind that. You remind me a bit of myself."

"I do?" She asked. "How?"

"I left and didn't tell my parents either." He chuckled to himself at the irony of his parents telling him how he would never get off the island, and being in Pandora at the moment.

"Well, I'm ready to go," Dae piped up. "Are you?"

"Yeah, I'm ready. Let's go."

----------

The walk along the trail was peaceful. The various monsters and animals had retreated into corners and shadows to sleep in the hours of the early morning.

The sun had completely risen by the time that Claude and Dae had reached Kippo Village. They didn't stay long, as the people there seemed to be slightly agitated about a robbery from days before. They returned to the main path, which lead north. However, the site they saw had them both stare in awe.

Claude had no idea how beautiful Gaia's Navel was, and Dae had never been there herself so it was quite a surprise for her too. Since it was still early in the day, monsters had yet to infest the tranquil scene.

"The entrance to the Haunted Forest is behind Gaia's Navel," announced Dae. She and Claude took the left path around Gaia's Navel. Claude couldn't take his eyes off of the site though, the waterfalls to be exact. He had never seen waterfalls before he left Gold City, and the falls at the Water Palace didn't compare to these. However, his lack of attention on what was in front of him caused him to stumble and fall over something. Dae gasped at what she saw. There, hidden by the shade of the trees, was the bruised and unconscious form of a vulpine creature. Claude had bolted up in surprise. He had never actually seen one before.

"Is it dead?" He asked. He was tempted to poke it with his sheathed sword.

"No, I see breathing," Dae replied. "Looks like something attacked him until he was unconscious."

"Hey..." Claude knelt down to inspect the body further, "these bruises look like they were inflicted through fist fighting. None of the monsters we've come across could have done something like this."

Dae couldn't hide the worried look on her face. "We can't leave him here...he needs some medical attention, more than what candy can do. And there's no telling what the monsters might do if they find his body like we did."

"Or if whoever did this comes back to finish the job," Claude said solemnly.

Dae had an idea and a grin appeared on her face. "Luka can heal!"

"But...we're no where near Luka." Claude's eyes made their way back to Gaia's Navel, the bottom two waterfalls to be exact. Except, something was moving down there! It was a man, and he looked slightly familiar.

"Hey Dae, look, there's somebody down there." Claude said while edging closer to the ridge.

The man waded through the shallow waters of the waterfall, when he happened to catch two objects out of the corner of his eye. He stopped dead in his tracks when he realized that they were two people that had been watching him. '_I hope they didn't see me come out from behind the waterfall_,' he thought fearfully to himself.

"HEY!" Claude shouted, "We need help up here!"

The man couldn't ignore the shout for help. Even if they had seen from where he emerged, he still couldn't just abandon people in need. It took him awhile to climb a convenient flight of stairs carved into the rocky walls and cross through more shallow water before he had reached them.

Claude waited with one arm absently resting on the sheath of his sword while Dae sat next to the body. She didn't know why but she felt badly about not being able to directly help this stranger. Claude knew the man looked familiar when he finally approached them.

"Hey...it's you!" Dae exclaimed while standing to meet the man. They had encountered him the day before. He had asked for their help but was declined. She felt that it was ironic how the situation was reversed, and hoped that he would provide some kind of help with the foxman.

"Heh heh..." The man was amused. "Well this is interesting."

Claude got straight to the point. "Look, I know we turned you down yesterday but we need to get help for this...guy here. Something messed him up pretty bad."

"Yes," Dae added on, "we need to get him help, but the closest place is Kippo Village and that's still a way's back..."

The man contemplated the situation. '_I could show them...they don't look like bad people, and this guy does need help..._'

He had made his decision. In one motion, he lifted the vulpine onto his shoulder, and said, "My name is Terran."

"I'm Dae, and this is Claude," the young woman said politely.

"Please follow me," Terran requested.

Now that this dilemma was solved, or would be solved, a question nagged at Claude and he couldn't ignore it any longer. The man had mysteriously appeared by the falls and there was no explanation he could think of for it.

"Where did you come from? There was no one by the falls before we found the foxman but when I looked back, you were suddenly there."

"You'll see," Terran simply stated as he led them through the shallow water (with Dae holding on to her robe) and down the flight of steps. The trio plus their unconscious discovery reached the bottom of Gaia's Navel. Terran began to wade through the shallow water towards two falls; however, Dae and Claude merely watched him. When he realized that he wasn't being followed, he looked back at them.

"What's wrong?" He asked them, projecting his voice a bit over the roaring falls.

Dae spoke up, "Where exactly are we going?"

"Yeah," Claude added on, "Unless these are magical healing waters, I don't see why we're down here."

Terran sighed. They still had no idea, and if he really wanted, he wouldn't have to let them in on the secret. Of course, the life of the being on his shoulder was more important, and going to a town would increase the chances of his condition worsening before he got the help he needed.

Terran sighed again. "There's a hidden passage behind this waterfall..."

"Hidden passage...?" Dae gasped. "You don't mean this is where...!"

"What?" Claude looked disturbed by Dae's reaction and her incomplete sentence. "'_This is where_' what?"

"There are many rumors of a society of dwarves living around Gaia's Navel," his female companion explained. "I guess those rumors are true. It seems that no one knew about these hidden passages leading under Gaia's Navel."

"Well, a few people do, but they know how to keep secrets," Terran said while winking at the pair. "Now let's go inside before someone sees us standing here like you guys saw me."

Without hesitation, Claude and Dae followed Terran into the water. He headed for the waterfall on the right, edging close to the rocky walls, slipping between the falling water and the opening without getting too wet. Claude and Dae followed suit.

They found themselves in a cavern; their source of light was the opening they entered through. A welcomed set of stairs lifted them out of the water and onto some dry ground.

"It's not much farther from here," Terran informed them.

He continued to guide the way, leading to a long flight of descending stairs. Claude and Dae followed him carefully, and entered what appeared to be a smithery of a blacksmith. A few unused weapons hang on the cavern walls. There wasn't much time to examine the unoccupied room, as Terran continued to lead them through the room and through a door, leading to a much larger clearing: The multi-tiered, underground village of the dwarves, shaped similar to Gaia's Navel above ground, without the water.

Since it was still early in the day, not many dwarves were out and about. Despite living underground, the dwarves still had a routine to their day that they followed. Of course, Terran preferred this so that he and his guests could avoid as many questions and stares as possible. The dwarves were in no way hostile towards humans, but strangers were strangers, and they did prefer to live in secret.

Claude and Dae followed Terran down another set of steps while trying to take in as many details as possible. Terran approached a door and pushed it open, revealing a small, simple room. The room he called his own. There was some furniture scattered about, most noticeably the straw bed in the center of the room, which Terran set the vulpine down on gently.

"You guys wait here with him," Terran told them. "I'm going to get some help." He sprinted out of the room, leaving the 3 newcomers inside with plenty of questions to ask.

Terran dashed up a flight of steps and headed straight for a door, with his arm outstretched. The knob of the door retracted before he could latch onto it, and the door creakily opened to reveal the Elder of the Dwarves, on his way out.

"Elder! IhopeIdidtherightthingIbroughtsomestrangersheretheyneededhelp!"

"Whoa, hold on there Terran," the dwarven elder pleaded, trying to take in the bomb of info the young man had dropped on him.

Terran took a breath and repeated himself, "I brought some strangers down here becau..."

"What!" the elder cried out.

"They needed help! Two humans...their vulpine friend was badly injured and the village was the closest place for him to get treatment."

"Terran...you are a kind-hearted individual...but you are also gullible!" the elder shouted, stamping his foot on the earth.

"What do you mean, sir?" Terran replied timidly.

"The world has become very dangerous once again...these strangers and their_ 'injured friend'_ could be a ploy..."

"But they're okay! I met them yesterday!" Terran protested. "But...in return for helping their friend, I hope to get them to help me get _it_..."

"You want them to help get it? Terran, you know what I think about you going there..."

"But elder! You know how I feel about this. I need to get it, now more than ever. And the strangers I brought, they're warriors!" He added excitedly.

The dwarven Elder sighed. He knew that there was no convincing Terran not to go on such a dangerous mission.

"So I believe you were coming to get me to aid the injured one?"

Terran smiled.

----------

Dae sat silently on the straw bed next to the vulpine's body while Claude paced around the room with his arms folded. The situation certainly had changed. One minute they were on their way to the Haunted Forest, looking for a weapon, and now they were lead into the secret village of the dwarves to help a complete stranger.

Terran re-entered the room, followed by the village elder. The dwarf was short, his face concealed in darkness. His eyes and white beard protruded through the darkness cast over his face by the horned helmet he wore. He slowly closed the door behind himself and wore a solemn look.

"I know Terran wants me to help you...but I simply can't. Times are dangerous and you're intruders...I'm sorry but you all have been condemned to death."

"What!" Dae cried out. "But why!"

Terran rolled his eyes, "Now isn't the time to joke around." The dwarven elder let out a spirited laugh. "You'll have to forgive him. He's a bit of a prankster...I don't know why he still plays these jokes..."

"Laughter is good in a situation like this!" the elder proclaimed. Claude let out a sigh of relief as the dwarf made his way over to the vulpine and examined his condition. "It was good of you to bring him here. He'll need more than candy to recover. I'll go get bandages."

"Terran, maybe you should ask them?" The elder added on before slipping out of the room.

"Ask us what?" Claude asked suspiciously.

"Well I was wondering...since I helped your friend and all...maybe you could finally help me..."

"Oh, you mean whatever it was you were trying to get yesterday?" Dae asked.

"Where all the monsters are?" Claude asked. "The ones you wanted us to fight?"

"Yes...but you see...if you can distract them long enough for me to get my family treasure and get out of there, we can avoid a fight entirely." Terran looked anxious; they didn't seem to be going for it.

"I have to know, why is this treasure so important to you?" Claude couldn't help but ask.

"It's valuable because it's the last token I have of my family, and my mother. It's a spear that has been passed down in my family for so many generations that I don't even know how we got it. I had to leave it behind on the fateful day that my village was attacked and destroyed..." It was apparent that the memories Terran had been recalling were starting to make him emotional. His big shoulders started to sag.

Dae didn't feel entirely right declining Terran's request the first time, and she wasn't going to do it again. "We'll help you."

Terran's face lit up. "You will!

Claude would have protested, but he was starting to feel sorry for the guy himself. "Why not?" He said, mainly to himself.

"Thank you both! We should hurry!" He said excitedly, retreating to a corner of the room. He pulled out a fighting staff, prepared for battle. "Maybe your friend will have recovered by the time we return. Hopefully this trip won't take too long."

----------

The trip to the hidden village where the symbol of Terran's family lay was mostly spent having Terran explain to Claude and Dae what happened to it. He spent much time reminiscing about his life before the dwarves. Before long, they found themselves nearing the bridge where they met the day before. Monsters were mostly avoided in the plains, and the visit to Pandora was short. Purim had become an afterthought.

"How did you end up living with the dwarves?" Claude asked. The trio had stopped on the bridge. Terran had explained what happened to his village but not how his life with the dwarves started.

Terran sighed and began to recount that troubling time in his life. "When I had escaped my village with my life, I ended up wandering. I had no idea where to go or who would help me. So, I wandered through the woods until I came across a trail and followed it."

He shifted his weight uncomfortably. It was showing how unpleasant these memories were for Terran, but he felt that they needed to be told. The more people he told them to, the easier it became to tell them.

"I eventually stumbled into Pandora. Most of the people seemed to be cold-hearted, not caring about my condition or situation. There was one family, however, that took me in for a few weeks. I later found out that a good deal of the town's populace was under a spell that had been broken."

"I barely remember that," Dae said. "I was maybe four or five years old."

"Really?" Claude asked curiously. "I hadn't heard about that at all. I guess that's what happens when you live on an island."

Terran continued his story, "When the world was saved by the Mana Knight and it was safe to venture outside of town again, I decided to leave. The family protested, and I appreciated their hospitality, but I couldn't stay there. I felt that I was a burden on their lives. So, in the middle of the night, I snuck out of town. I wandered along the plains, not really having any idea where I wanted to go. I found myself regretting that choice later on."

"I eventually hit a fork in the road. It led to Kippo Village and Gaia's Navel. It was night time, but I decided to take my chances with Gaia's Navel. I had no money, no food, and no water. What little I brought with me was gone before the sun even set. I had heard about how beautiful Gaia's Navel was, and seeing it in the moonlight made it seem like an entirely different world. However, I collapsed before I even reached the water."

"So the dwarves found you?" Dae asked, engrossed in Terran's story.

"Yeah, one dwarf in particular, Watts the blacksmith, was using the cover of night to return to the village. He found my body and saw what condition I was in, and made the choice to bring me back. The Dwarves were skeptical about keeping me there at first, but after I told them my story, their elder insisted that I stay there.

I was later told that a sprite child was washed down there by a flood and lived there for awhile with the dwarves. He supposedly had amnesia and went on an adventure to get his memories back, but never returned after his quest was over. The elder was really fond of him. I think part of the reason he wanted me to stay was because he needed someone to fill in the void. Someone else to look after."

"Aw...the dwarves are really sweet," Dae said affectionately.

"Unfortunately, the goblins aren't," Claude replied.

"So... are you guys ready?" Terran grabbed hold of his fighting staff and held it tightly. "I really hope we can avoid a fight..."

"If you wanted to avoid a fight, why did you insist that we come with you?" Claude asked.

"Well, you guys could distract them, and if we can't avoid a battle, how would I fight them all with just myself?" Terran asked innocently. "I may look strong, but I'm not _that_ strong." He headed for the trees as Claude and Dae followed him.

It was a short walk through foliage and trees until they spotted an opening. It was circular, and there were old decrepit huts that still stood; a haunting reminder of what happened to the village. The trio halted and crouched in the bushes at the sound of a commotion. The goblins were celebrating.

Terran smiled. Things were looking good. The goblins provided their own distractions as they danced around a totem pole. There were at least five of them dancing to their own chanting and the slow beat of two makeshift drums.

"I'll go to my home. It should still be in there. You guys stay here just in case anything happens," Terran whispered his instructions to them.

He wasn't experienced in the stealth department, but he was going to try. He crept through the trees, making sure to stay hidden by their shade as the sun shone brightly down on the old village. He made his way to the back of the village, and then crept towards a hut. With a jump, he lunged towards the hut and rolled, with his back stopping against the hut. The shifting grass was washed out by the echoing drums and chanting.

Claude and Dae were on edge the entire time. Claude had his hand on the handle of his Broad Sword and Dae had already taken out her bow and held an arrow in one hand. At any minute, the goblins could discover Terran and a battle would ensue.

'_Almost there_,' Terran thought to himself as he looked to the hut to the left of him. There was only one problem with getting there, and that was the wide gap between the huts. There was a large cooking pot between the two, but it wasn't wide enough to provide complete coverage from one side to the other. He'd have to risk being seen by one of the dancing goblins.

On an act of impulse, he rolled from the hut and hid behind the large cooking pot. Then he waited for the longest time.

There was no response. They hadn't seen him.

It was then that Terran had spotted human remains near the pot. They had captured and eaten some innocent soul that may have wandered there or had been walking the trail. The sight brought back a flood of memories and emotions, and Terran was almost overwhelmed by the fury he felt towards these creatures. The only way he could suppress it was to remind himself how dangerous a direct attack on the goblins would be, and how he wouldn't have to ever come back to this place once he obtained the spear.

With another roll, Terran was at his former home. He slipped into the darkness of the hut before he could be spotted. Claude and Dae released a collective sigh. Now the only obstacle left would be for Terran to get back out of the village unseen...

Terran strained his eyes to see in the darkened hut. Everything seemed to be exactly the same way it was ten years ago, except for a few overturned items...and something on his bed? Sleeping peacefully was one of the many kid goblins that assaulted the village so many years ago. That feeling of rage boiled inside of Terran again. It defiled the home of his family with its presence. He wanted to take his fighting staff and thrust it into the being's neck, crushing its windpipe and hopefully killing it.

He suppressed the rage once again by reminding himself of the consequences if the kid goblin reacted in any way that would bring attention to the hut. He then turned his attention away from the goblin and began scoping the place for the spear. He spotted it in the corner. It was obviously untouched as it had collected dust, but it still looked brand new. It made perfect sense that the goblins would ignore it, as they preferred boomerangs and hand axe weapons themselves. Terran reached for the Spear when an object struck his hand and clattered on the floor of the hut.

A boomerang...

And its owner was ready to strike. Terran reacted just in time to catch the hand axe of the kid goblin with his fighting staff as it leapt off of the bed and struck mid-air. The pressure from the axe threatened to break the staff at any moment. Terran used this to his advantage as he anticipated it. He parried just as the staff broke, letting the goblin tumble on its face. Taking the opportunity, Terran grabbed the spear and unleashed his wrath in a thrust, sending the spear into the back of the goblin. It let out a painful shriek before its body fell limp.

Unfortunately, that one shriek echoed throughout the village. The dancing goblins stopped simultaneously with the drum beating goblins to stare at the hut where the terrible cry was emitted. Their curiosity got the best of them, as they all abandoned the totem pole and went to investigate.

Claude cursed. Terran was still inside and would be trapped if the goblins got in before he could get out. "We have to distract them," he told Dae.

Claude went to step out of the forest when his foot landed on an old wooden plaque. It read "Topple," perhaps the name of the village.

He picked the plaque up and hurled it at the group of goblins. It hit the closest goblin, which acknowledged the attack with a grunt and a glance into the woods. The two humans were still hidden by the shade of the trees.

When that didn't get the attention of the goblins, Dae began to nock an arrow. Before long, it found itself embedded into the back of the goblin closest to Terran's hut. It shrieked and fell forward. This definitely got the attention of the goblins, as they began to converse amongst themselves in their own language. The cluster abruptly split into two groups, three goblins heading for the hut and the rest running towards the trees with their axes held high.

Dae unleashed arrows as fast as she could, hoping to take as many goblins out as possible before they reached them. Claude unsheathed his sword and charged towards the remaining goblins, threatening them all with a wide swipe of his Broad Sword. Most had jumped back in anticipation, but one was caught off guard and cut down. This only managed to enrage the other goblins, as one tossed its boomerang at Claude. He easily cut it in half with his sword, and the goblin was struck down with one of Dae's well-placed shots.

Terran had remained hidden in the darkness of the hut. The goblins waited for him to exit, hand axes armed. The light cast through the doorway only revealed the body of their fallen comrade. Losing patience, one bold and foolish goblin stepped inside and was met with a mighty blow to the head. Terran emerged from the shadows and kicked the stunned goblin out and into his companions. He charged and leapt over the downed goblins and out into the sunlight, only to find that he was surrounded. He couched and held the spear low, then made a quick spin, holding the spear out and knocking the weight out from under his opponents. He made another leap and fled towards the exit, where Claude and Dae had also entered combat.

A goblin lunged at Claude. He leapt onto the back of the monster and used the momentum to further propel himself into the air and towards another goblin. It readied its hand axe in a defensive position. Claude held his sword tightly behind his back and let out a battle cry out of instinct for the powerful blow he intended to make. He landed with a powerful overhead slash, splitting the hand axe and sending the goblin to the ground from the powerful blow. It never got back up.

The goblin that had lunged picked itself up off of the ground grabbed its hand axe, only to keel over as Terran appeared behind it, pulling his spear out of its back.

Angry cries echoed in the village as a horde of kid goblins charged towards them. "RUN!" Terran ordered as he pushed Claude and Dae into the woods. They continued running back onto the forest trail and over the bridge and didn't stop, despite the fact that the goblins had stopped at the bridge and continued yelling in their native tongues.

----------

Back in the safe confines under Gaia's Navel, a young vulpine stirred until he awakened. He was in an unfamiliar place and had bandages on his body, where there were still faint traces of pain. He sat on the straw bed in a pretty simple room, which was lit by a candle sitting on a table.

He held his head as he tried to recollect his thoughts, possibly giving an explanation for where he was and why. Images and memories returned in a massive blur.

The doorknob twisted and the door creaked opened, casting more light into the room. A short, dwarven man entered the room and stopped when he noticed who was staring at him.

"Ah," sighed said, "You're awake! I bet you're wondering where you are..." The Dwarf Elder began to explain to his guest how he had arrived in the secret village of the Dwarves.

----------

The trio had stood in awe, taking the time to watch the falls of Gaia's Navel again. Or at least two of them were. Terran was examining his family's spear. It was just as he remembered, although the spearhead was starting to get a little dull. He'd have to get Watts to work on that later.

He finally realized that his short journey with Claude and Dae had come to an end. He had the Spear, and he was home. He needed to thank them.

"I wanted to thank you guys," he began. "You don't know how much this means to me. You didn't have to help me but you did...you have honored my family..." Terran noticed movement ahead. "Hey...isn't that..."

Dae and Claude looked on. Sure enough, it was the fox man they had seen earlier, heading down a path leading back and beyond Gaia's Navel.

"Wait!" Dae cried out to him as she broke into a dash, followed by Claude and Terran, but it was too late. He had already disappeared down the path.

"He's gone!" Claude exclaimed, looking around as they stopped in a clearing.

Dae pointed to a path of stone pillars and the magical symbol written on the ground at the end. "He must have went into the Haunted Forest. That magical symbol on ground is a transportation spell that leads to a similar symbol in the forest."

"You can't go in there after him!" Terran shouted at them.

"And why not?" Dae asked. "We want to know what happened to him, and we need to go there anyway for something important."

"But don't you know that place is **haunted**?" Terran squeaked.

"Yeah, it is called the _Haunted_ Forest after all," Claude said sarcastically.

"But...there are all kinds of monsters in there, and they say **werewolves** like to hang around that place!" Terran whispered meekly.

"Well, you don't have to come." Claude told him. "You have what you wanted and you can go home. We still have to get something important."

Claude and Dae walked between the two rows of pillars, marking the path to the Haunted Forest. Terran stood behind and watched them.

Claude stopped at the symbol. "What are we supposed to do?"

"Just step on it and wait," Dae replied, pulling him onto the symbol with her. The symbol surged with magical energy, lighting up beneath their feet and temporarily blinding them. In an instant, the light disappeared, and so did the two standing in it.

Terran shook his head. He was alone in the field.

* * *

Chapter 6 is under way. Can't make any guarantees on a date, as I'm writing another story aswell which may demand more of my attention. 


	8. CH 6: Into the Thick of It

Hey, it's been awhile, but anyone that's read my previous stuff knows to expect infrequent updates. College work combiend with other stories and this chapter being longer than I expected it to be contributed to the delay. But enough of that, here is the latest chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 6:** _Into the Thick of It  
By ClaudeLv250_

The dark, silent forest was interrupted by a flash of light and the arrival of two visitors. Claude and Dae stepped off of the magical symbol embedded into the ground. They immediately began to observe their surroundings. The grass was a dark green, the dark trees loomed ominously at every angle and anything not on the main grassy path was shrouded in darkness. Dark. Everything was dark.

A thin red haze had replaced the once bright sky, and nonchalantly occupied the rest of the forest. It was one of the most bizarre places Claude had ever seen, and it completely contrasted Gaia's Navel. "Is this place cursed?" He asked.

"Well, there are a lot of rumors about how the Haunted Forest came to be this way, but I don't know if there's truth to any of them..." Dae told him, tightening her robe. The stagnant air had a chill to it. Though she wasn't quite sure if it was the temperature or the atmosphere that had sent a cold sensation up her spine, she wasn't intent on finding out.

"This place feels so...evil. Why would the fox man go in here?" Claude wondered aloud.

"I don't know, maybe he has a good reason like us...Elinee's castle is deeper into the forest," Dae replied, pointing down the grassy path and into the darkness of clustered trees.

They had been sent into the Haunted Forest by Luka to recover a Mana weapon she said Elinee would be glad to hand over to them. However, several complications had slowed down their progress, including their encounter with an unconscious vulpine, which they helped find medical attention. After also helping Terran, a man looking for the Spear of his family heritage that had helped them as well by bringing them and the vulpine to the dwarf society under Gaia's Navel, they witnessed the fox flee into the Haunted Forest. Although they were curious about him, the Mana weapon took top priority. They couldn't delay this any longer.

Claude was the first to take a step down the grassy path. Dae followed closely behind as they rounded a patch of thorny foliage. Even the plant life added to the unsettled feeling ensnared within the duo. It didn't help that calls and cries from manners of beasts they had never met echoed in and out of the darkness provided by the trees.

The pair was unaware of the yellow, feline eyes watching them from the darkness. The eyes were filled with curiosity and hopefulness, rather than the hostility common among the creatures that inhabited the forest.

Dae jumped at the screech of a Blat soaring overhead. Claude's hand quickly rested on the hilt of his sword, but the creature had returned to the darkness of the forest as if it had never noticed them. They both calmed down and continued walking down the path, which seemed to be steadily rising. Claude's hand never left his side, which proved to be a good idea when something leapt out of the bushes and straight into their path.

His sword was unsheathed and pointed at...a cat. A purple cat. His fur was purple, unlike his face which was white, and he wore a brown vest with green pants. He held up his gloved paws in defense when he realized that the sword was pointed at his chest.

"Hey...hey! I'm not dangerous!" he cried out in defense, and his nervous face helped confirm it.

Claude was still skeptical until Dae lowered his arm. He held the sword at his side but never bothered to sheath it, giving Dae a look of confusion.

"Neko! What are you doing here?" Dae asked in a friendly tone.

'_Neko..._' the name sounded familiar to Claude, but he wasn't sure from where.

"Well, I wouldn't be a traveling merchant if I wasn't in places where people would need me the most!" the purple cat, Neko, replied rather gleefully.

Dae took the time to introduce Claude and Neko. "Claude, Neko is a merchant with a shop near the Water Palace. He stops by and visits every now and then." That explained why she seemed to know him. "Neko, Claude is my traveling companion. He's from Gold City."

"Sorry about pointing the sword at you..." Claude apologized, finally returning his Broad Sword to its sheath.

"I can't blame ya! You can't be _too_ careful in this place..."

"So..." Claude started, "You're a traveling merchant? I've never seen you in Gold City."

"Oh, I've been there once before. But no one would buy anything! Some of those snooty people even ignored me completely!" He saw the look on Claude's face, a look that wasn't very proud. "But..." he started again, "You live there, so you probably deal with that kind of stuff a lot more than I know, so you should understand why I probably won't ever go there again for a _long_ time." Claude nodded.

Neko turned his back and, for the first time, Claude noticed the large white sack of goods behind him. He untied the bag and took a position behind it, opening it wide and revealing the contents to his two new costumers.

"So, what'll it be? Are ya going to buy something?" he said merrily. Dae had dashed over to the bag and fell to her knees, rummaging through the items with absolute delight. Claude hadn't seen a smile this broad on her face since he met her – apparently, shopping had put it there.

"Oh!" Dae squealed excitedly, "You have new items since you last visited the palace!"

"That's right," Neko said proudly. "You won't believe how many of the older items I had to restock now that they're in demand due to all the monsters emerging again!"

"Wow...Faerie Walnuts!" Dae exclaimed, cupping her hands to hold some rather large walnuts. She frowned, "But none of us can use magic..."

By now, Claude was bending over Dae's shoulder and visually examining the objects as she fumbled through the bag. "What's that?" He pointed at a blue object inside the bag and Dae grabbed it.

"Cup of Wishes!" she gasped. She gently held the blue chalice in her hands, examining it.

"What does it do?" he asked.

"It creates a special reviving elixir when needed!" Dae said with much enthusiasm, proving Claude's suspicions that she much enjoyed explaining things. He brought a hand up to his chin and pondered the usefulness of such an item.

Neko, seeing this, decided to take the opportunity to help persuade his newest costumer. "It's _very_ useful. If you plan on staying in this forest for awhile on your journey, a Cup of Wishes could be invaluable to you."

"Hmm..." Claude came to a decision. "How much is it?"

"It's 300 Gold a cup."

"That's...kind of expensive." Still, the idea of life in a cup seemed like something he couldn't pass up, as he started getting flashes of images in his head; himself or Dae lying in a dark corner, dying while the other watched in horror as they could do nothing to save their partner's life.

He opened the pouch tied to the brown band around his waist and said, "I'll buy it." He pulled out the adequate amount of Gold coins and handed them over to Neko in exchange for the blue chalice Dae held.

The smile on the purple cat's face only broadened in the reflection of the shiny gold coins in his hand. "Nya ha!" He laughed triumphantly, stashing the money away. "Anything else you were looking for...?"

Dae had taken the pack off of her back and carefully inserted the Cup of Wishes inside of it. She finally stood and secured the pack onto her back once again before saying, "No...I think that's all we need. We already have Candy and Medical Herbs."

Neko took this as his cue to close and tie up the bag of goods. He swung the large, white sack onto his back in an attempt to display his strength, but started to teeter a few seconds later. He caught himself, and his white-furred face went a light shade of pink before he quickly delved into another subject.

"So, Dae...I meant to ask earlier why you weren't in the Water Palace."

"Oh," she said, clasping her hands together. "Well, Luka sent Claude and me on an errand, to retrieve something from Elinee's castle."

"So where are you going?" Claude asked when he noticed Neko turning towards the path they came up.

"I've done my day's work. I'm heading back to the shop."

"Isn't it dangerous to be by yourself? You could come with us," Claude offered.

"No, no," Neko declined. "I've been to Elinee's Castle once before. I know she's a good witch and all now, but I have bad memories of her dungeon. No, I think I'll be fine. Puurrfectly fine..." he said as he walked down the trail leading towards the exit.

Claude looked to Dae and shrugged.

* * *

"...And good day to you, wolves," said a young woman with a confident smile, sitting on an enchanted broom. On top of her long, blonde haired head was a blue, pointed hat with a pink ribbon tied around it, with a thick strand of hair reaching down to her emerald green eyes. She wore a blue top and skirt, with matching blue armbands and heels. Tied around her waste was a pink cloth tied into a bow on her back. A short, transparent pink cape trailed along her back. She sat with one leg crossed over the other on the floating broom. 

"Get to the point," the alpha wolf growled. Behind him were a pack of wolves, his pack, in the courtyard that marked the castle's entrance.

"Now, now. No need to get hasty. We'll come to an agreement eventually..."

"You haven't even given an offer."

"Right. I am Eliza, and Elinee is my aunt. I am her apprentice, but what I have called you wolves here today for is to offer you something no one else can, in return for a very powerful item..." She gave the wolves a toothy smile.

* * *

Claude and Dae tried their best to follow the twisting path in the dark Haunted Forest. It was when they reached a small clearing that they stopped. 

"I really have no idea where we're going," Claude said, holding his Broad Sword in preparation of any danger.

"I really don't know either. This place is so easy to get lost in, and it's pretty creepy too. I thought I heard someone else when we were walking, but this entire place is just...ugh," Dae said, airing her concerns.

"Well I definitely hear something too," Claude whispered, alerted by the sudden rustling of bushes nearby. Dae stood next to him with her bow held firmly in her hand. The rustling had stopped, but both teens never took their eyes off of the bushes. Still, they were not prepared for the sudden blur that exited the foliage and knocked them to the ground with a swift kick.

Looking up, Claude saw what he never expected to meet: A werewolf. He was quickly back on his feet, with Dae right behind him.

"Leave, humans," the wolf said. "You're in our territory."

"W-we...can't..." Dae whispered.

Claude mustered up the courage to give a real response. "We can't leave because we have to go to the castle. It's important."

"We already have business at the castle and I won't let you interfere," the wolf spat, raising his arms into a fighting stance.

"But if you let us get what we came for and leave, there won't be any problems!" Dae pleaded.

"This is your last warning, humans. **Leave!**" The wolf demanded gruffly.

Claude raised his sword and looked to Dae, saying, "Looks like we don't have a choice." She nodded and grabbed an arrow. For awhile, the two opposing forces stood like that, waiting for the other to move first. Claude glanced at Dae and nodded in an agreement, then made the first move.

He dashed forward with his sword held behind him, charging to the figure before him. The wolf held his stance, his arms still risen, waiting patiently. Claude was not confident in the outcome of this battle, but felt that if Lumina had given him the burden of being Chosen for some grand mission to protect the world, then he must have the potential needed. The wolf, waiting to parry any attack tossed his way by this human, was caught off guard when Claude seemingly abandoned his attack only feet away from him and jumped to the side, revealing Dae just as she unleashed an arrow. The wolf, using his superior speed, quickly sidestepped and allowed the arrow to embed itself into the tree behind him.

Claude, not wasting the opportunity, lunged at the wolf with a thrust of his sword. The wolf ducked, letting the blade pass over his shoulder, and countered with an elbow thrust to the abdomen, knocking Claude down.

"It's obvious that you have no formal training with that sword," the wolf remarked smugly.

"I don't need any formal training to cut you down!"

The wolf parried yet another arrow, but soon felt the hilt of the sword jammed into his gut before leaping away from the source.

"Don't you think this is a little extreme?" Claude asked, holding his sword casually. "Is it really worth it? I mean, if I had turned the sword the other way..." he jumped back, narrowly missing the feral swipe of the wolf.

With a vicious snarl, the wolf attacked again. There was a sudden change in his demeanor; he was no longer toying around, but now had a genuine, almost psychotic ambition to shed blood. That one strike, however weak it was, triggered something unforgiving.

The wolf pounced, sending Claude on the defensive as he tried to parry and block each strike with the blade of his sword. It seemed like the blows never stopped as his arms started to feel the pressure. The strikes were getting stronger – or was he getting tired? He felt himself backing away with each attack, perhaps being pushed back a little himself from the force. He parried a kick and saw an opportunity, making a wide slash. Unfortunately for him, the wolf saw it coming and ducked, rising with an uppercut that knocked the sword from Claude's grip.

Noticing the wolf turning for a roundhouse kick, he dived for the sword as the tree behind him was struck. Wasting no time, the wolf closed the space between them quickly before being caught off guard by an arrow that had just whizzed by. He had forgotten about the girl, and with a newfound fury, sought to put her down while Claude was still going for the sword.

It wasn't until Claude gripped his weapon that he noticed the wolf now heading straight for Dae. He gave chase but found himself outmatched in the speed department. Regardless, he continued after the wolf, while Dae desperately tried to nock another arrow. Giving up, she held the bow and arrow, prepared for short range combat. The wolf surprised her when he leapt into the air for a flying kick, just as the battle ground echoed with an unfamiliar battle cry. From out of the darkened trees and bushes behind Dae came the figure of Terran, sailing over her head towards the airborne wolf with his spear in hand. He gave a mighty thrust just as the wolf contorted his body, letting the spear slide behind his back.

They both landed, Terran twirling the spear before holding it steady in both arms as a battle stance. And Dae shouting out his name in surprise. The wolf made a swift hand motion to his side, confirming his suspicions when he found a small amount of red liquid beginning to wet his fur. Another battle cry echoed in the enclosed area, this one belonging to Claude as he leapt high into the air, holding the Broad Sword overhead for his _Jump Slash_ technique, bringing it down in a powerful vertical slash just as the wolf rolled away. He immediately parried again as an arrow narrowly missed his leg.

The wolf narrowed his eyes, his senses coming to him. This many humans in the Haunted Forest, fighters no less, needed to be reported. "Hmph, next time you won't be so lucky...Terran," he said, before dashing off into the darkness of the forest.

There was a thud on the grass as Terran let go of his spear and dropped to his knees, a strange look upon his face.

"Wow! Terran, where'd you come from?" Dae exclaimed, a smile upon her face.

"Yeah, I thought you went back home," Claude said as they ran over to him. "If you didn't show up...who knows what would have happened."

"Hey...are you alright?" Dae asked, leaning forward to inspect the sudden change in Terran's appearance. There was suddenly a glistening of sweat she could have swore wasn't there before.

"H-He knows my name!" Terran screeched. "Why did you have to yell my name?"

"But he saw your face too," Dae said, puzzled. "He would have been able to identify you later on anyway." Terran let out a whimper.

"Wow...you have an intense fear of werewolves, don't you?" Claude smirked.

"This isn't funny! He said I wouldn't be so lucky next time!" Terran picked up his spear and stood, but began to sway. "I don't feel too good..."

Dae tried to stop him from falling. "Because you shouldn't be getting so worked up over that werewolf. He's gone!"

Terran gave Dae an incredulous look. "He said he'd come back!" he squeaked.

"Okay, this is getting ridiculous." Claude sighed with impatience. "Why did you follow us if you're going to act like that?"

"I...I felt bad letting you two go into the woods alone. I got what I wanted because of you two, and thought that maybe I could help you a little bit more..."

"But if you're afraid of werewolves, why did you jump in the fight?" Claude said, a smirk reforming on his face when reminded of Terran's earlier antics.

"I didn't KNOW he was a wolf until I attacked him. I just saw you guys fighting in the darkness...if I had known he was a wolf, I would have never intervened!"

"Wow, thanks for the overwhelming concern for my safety..." Dae uttered in a sarcastic tone.

"So what are you going to do now?" Claude asked Terran. "We still have to go to the castle. I don't know if you want to go back alone, with wolves in the woods and-"

"I'm coming! But once you guys get what you've come for, that's it! I'm going home!"

"Well then, that's settled. Welcome back," Dae said, patting him on the shoulder.

* * *

"...and what exactly can you offer that no one else can?" the alpha wolf asked, skeptical of the young woman's words. 

"The preservation of your entire pack." She said, her smile never waning. This garnered a response from the pack; a few stifled laughs and a wave of muttering before cutting into silence as the alpha wolf spoke again.

"And how would you, an admitted apprentice witch, be able to accomplish this?" He asked, truly curious of what she was thinking. She would not demand the wolves' attention to pull a hoax if she valued her life.

"You see, that's where I need you. What I need, is the Seed of Earth, located in the Underground Palace, under the dwarven village in Gaia's Navel. I cannot simply march down there and take such a sacred item. I am an apprentice witch after all. But a _strong_ pack of wolves," she emphasized, "should have no problem succeeding."

"And what would you need that for?"

"Well, that's kind of personal...but, with that kind of power, there would be many ways to go about the preservation. For example, using my magic and the seed, it would be possible for me to alter a specific area's landscape to your liking. Or perhaps even a barrier where-"

She was interrupted by the abrupt arrival of a wolf in red, clutching a visible wound on his side.

"Kaiser?"

"Friki...there are human warriors heading this way. I tried to deter them..."

"Well, Friki," Eliza said, using the alpha wolf's name in a confident tone, "do we have a deal?" This was met by a long silence, as the wolf thought long and hard. It wasn't often that such a grand offer was pitched his way.

"We'll do it. However, I shouldn't have to go warn you about what exactly would happen if you were to go back on your word, witch." And with one motion, Friki and the pack of wolves began to leave, leaving the apprentice witch alone in front of the castle's entrance.

She let out a sigh of relief once they were gone and smiled. No one had any idea how badly she wanted and needed the power of that Mana Seed for what she wanted to do. She knew getting the wolves to go with her plan was a long shot, but thought that perhaps she had a chance at it since her aunt had been known to deal with werewolves before.

The broom went into motion, making a U-turn and heading towards the castle's wood double doors. Eliza slid off of the broom and grabbed it, entering the castle. Only minutes later did some foliage rustle as three familiar figures stepped towards the castle.

"Do you see any wolves?" Terran whispered, eyes darting around wildly.

"No," Claude replied, surveying the area. The outside of the castle was just as dark and spooky as the rest of the forest, except that it was suspiciously quieter here.

Claude led the armed group, Dae followed him and Terran brought up the rear as they crept towards the castle entrance. Though it felt like it was taking forever, no one wanted to make more noise than necessary, until they finally stopped not too far from the wooden double doors of the witch's castle.

"Wait!" Terran tried to whisper. "Are you _sure_ you don't see any werewolves?"

"Look around for yourself," Claude said in a slightly agitated voice. Terran's nagging about the wolves since the earlier battle was starting to become a nuisance, and he almost hoped that a werewolf would show up just so Terran could stop asking. As if on key, a scream echoed from their position and throughout the forest.

Claude turned to Dae in surprise, expecting to regret what he felt before. However, she looked fine, and she turned to Terran, who had fallen to the ground with his spear raised to the creature standing before him, who had come around the arch in the courtyard.

"Hey, it's...you?" Dae couldn't believe her eyes. "We were looking for you!" The vulpine looked confused in reply.

"Yeah, you ran off before we got back to the Dwarf Village," Claude added on.

"So you're the people that found me?" He asked. "Have you seen a pack of wolves around here? I need to find them."

Terran, who by now had risen to his feet, asked "...do you even know what happened to you?"

"I...don't remember. That elder told me about you guys, but I really need to find the wolves," he said, sounding a bit anxious. "I got separated from them because of this."

"We ran into a wolf earlier," Claude said, thinking about the encounter. "He wasn't exactly nice, but he did say that 'they' had business at the castle."

"You think that maybe they're inside?" Dae asked. "We haven't seen anyone out here since we arrived." Within seconds, the fox had made his way to the wooden double doors of the castle.

"Hey, wait!" Terran yelled as they followed him into the castle.

* * *

And that marks the end of this chapter, and the debut of Eliza, who should eb starring in a short sidestory I've already begun to write. With that said, I've already started chapter 7 aswell, so hopefully I can get that one out sooner than this one. 


	9. CH 7: A Somber Wish

**Chapter 7:** _A Somber Wish  
By ClaudeLv250_

"Hey, hey! You haven't even told us your name yet!" Terran cried out over the creaking of the old doors to the castle's foyer. There was an audible "clunk" sound as the door closed, with the quartet standing alone, encompassed by the blue walls and floors of the hallway.

"I'm Niko," the vulpine said, looking around for any sign of wolves.

"Well I'm Claude, that's Dae with the bow and backpack, and the big chicken is Terran," Claude teased, which garnered a glare from Terran.

"Hey...calm down," Dae said to the vulpine kindly. "If the werewolves aren't here, I know someone who could locate them for you. Right now, you should relax and recover. It hasn't been that long since we found you."

"I guess you're right..." Niko sighed. Claude and Terran had already started heading down the hallway.

"So..." Dae started, "do you remember _anything_ before whatever it was happened?"

"Yeah, maybe it will help you remember what happened," Claude added on, opening the door at the end of the hallway. They entered a room with a table and set of chairs.

"Well, for the past few days, I've been part of the pack," Niko explained. Terran took this time to sit down on one of the chairs. "I started from the bottom and tried to work my way up to be a real member by helping them and doing what they told me. You know, running errands and..."

"Errands?" Claude remarked. "What kind of errands could werewolves possibly ever need?"

"I sort of...took some meat from a village. The pack really needed it..."

"Wait, you don't mean Kippo?" Dae asked.

"The villagers were fuming over that incident," Claude said. "Did you have to steal it? Why couldn't the wolves just buy it themselves?"

"The people don't like them and won't let them anywhere near the village," Niko informed them, still feeling that the wolves had been wronged.

"I can see why," Claude remarked, but jumped and tensed at the sound of a familiar scream. They all looked over to Terran, who had fallen out of the chair and landed on his back.

"What did you do now, Terran?" Claude questioned with a hint of agitation.

"The chair threw me off of it!" Terran exclaimed, sitting up and rubbing his backside. Before anyone could reply to his nonsense, the chair he had been sitting on reared its front legs and galloped towards the trio. They jumped out of the way and it slammed into the wall.

"What's going on?" Niko shouted out in surprise.

"Enchanted furniture!" Dae nocked an arrow and plugged it into the chair. It didn't seem phased as it turned around and charged towards them again.

By now, Terran had stood and readied his spear, unaware of the second chair behind him seemingly coming to life. It raised its two front legs and kicked him in the back, knocking him back onto the ground, and then galloped over him and towards the trio to help out its partner. It was met with a wide slash from Claude's Broad Sword. Though the attack took out a good portion of its back, it continued as if nothing had ever happed. It raised its legs to kick Claude, but was met by a kick itself and fell over, bending and swinging its wooden legs wildly in an attempt to get back up.

Things got worse as a third chair sprung to life and galloped around the room, effectively confining the party to a smaller area. Dae began to nock an arrow when the chair took advantage of the situation, catching her off guard as it charged towards her. Just as it was about to strike her, it was met with a swift kick from Niko, sending it sailing through the air and onto the table, two of its broken legs sliding over the surface and onto the floor. It flailed around a bit before being smashed by a powerful slam with Terran's Memento Spear.

The second chair, which had now managed to get back to its feet, rammed into Claude and was stabbed in the process. As it recoiled with a stab wound now in its seat, Dae unleashed an arrow into it just before it was finished off with a powerful kick from Niko that resulted in a burst of wooden fragments.

The first chair was hailed upon by Dae's arrows as it prepared to charge again and avenge its fallen comrades. It was met with a powerful swing from Terran's spear which caused it to slide into a wall, where it was finished off with a slash from Claude that left its seat in two.

Weary from the battle, the party began to relax. Terran huffed and looked back to the table. "You don't think...?" He said, pointing to a fourth chair sitting regularly at the table. Within seconds the four of them were upon it, beating and breaking its wooden frame until only pieces were left. Since it didn't struggle, they were left to assume that this chair was not alive.

A repetitive clicking echoed from behind the door, getting louder as if something was approaching. The door swung open and a young woman entered.

"What's going on...?" She gasped at the sight. "Who are you people?"

"You're not Elinee, are you?" Claude asked.

"No, I'm Eliza. What do you people want?"

"We were attacked by the furniture..." Dae said. "But we're here to retrieve something which we were told Elinee may have."

"Well she's not here, and I have important business to attend to. Stop bothering me and go back from wherever you came," Eliza said sharply, hoping to discourage the guests. "I can't guarantee that you won't be attacked by anymore furniture. I don't exactly control them."

"Well, have you seen any werewolves around here?" Niko spoke up.

"That's classified information," she replied, cocking her head to the side with a devious smirk, causing the pointed hat atop her blonde hair to shift a little. "Now leave."

It was Terran's turn to speak. "But these people have come a long way. They were specifically told to retrieve a special item."

Eliza narrowed her eyes as she became suspicious at these people's insistence to obtain this 'special' item. "If you've come looking for what I think it is, I won't give it to you! Ever!" She screamed, with a newfound anger. She held the palm of her hand out and began to chant, casting a spell.

"_Force Wall!_" She cried out, an invisible shockwave exploding from her palm and knocking everyone off of their feet, scattered pieces of wood flying against the opposite wall. When they looked up, she was gone, having fled through the door back from whatever part of the castle she had come from.

"Now what?" Terran exclaimed.

"We follow her!" Claude ordered, being the first to charge out of the room and give chase through the castle.

Having heard the shuffling of feet not far behind her, Eliza grabbed her broom and took to the air for faster travel. She ducked through a room, knowing exactly where she needed to be, but not before leaving behind a few surprises.

The party entered the room to an odd sight. It seemed that two eyeballs had grown out of the floor, their green stems rooted into the ground almost like plants.

"Kill them! Quick! They can spawn more monsters!" Dae warned, though a little too late as one managed to summon a Chobin Hood, which took to life quickly as it nocked an arrow and fired upon the group.

* * *

Eliza flew down a hallway of bookshelves and hopped off of her broom in front of a specific one, which she left a flamboyant green book for her own memory's sake. She pushed gently against the right side of the case, and it gave way, swinging open and revealing a cylindrical room with a pedestal in the center. She walked down the staircase, which trailed along the curved walls and under the single window shedding an ominous light onto the lone item sitting upon the pedestal: a black book.

She held her broom firmly as she approached the book. In a matter of seconds, it sprung to life and flapped its pages threateningly at her, seconds away from attacking. She gave it a good whack and it seemingly returned to being a normal book once again. Tucking it under her arm and holding the broom in the opposite hand, she climbed the stairs back up towards the hallway, but was met with a surprise as she came face to face with her aunt, Elinee.

"Did you summon the Eye Spies...Eliza?" The old woman croaked upon seeing just where the young woman had emerged. "What...how did you find out about the Necronomicon?"

"I found it by accident awhile ago..." She said, shrinking beneath her aunt's powerful gaze.

"Put it back where you found it, right now! It's more dangerous and powerful than you could ever imagine!" When Eliza refused, Elinee tried to grab it. Eliza reacted and pushed her through the hidden opening.

"SHRIEK!" Elinee screamed.

Eliza closed the bookshelf and chanted, sealing the doorway with a thinly veiled barrier. She heard Elinee's knocking and yelling on the other side.

"If you had never lied about him...no, if you had never sent him to his grave, I wouldn't have to do this!" She screamed, her emotions getting the best of her as she felt her eyes watering. She sat on her broom and took off down the hallway.

* * *

The Chobin Hood squeaked as its bow was sliced in half by the sword. The attack was followed up by a punch to its snout by Niko. It spun to the ground and drifted out of the conscious world.

A second Chobin Hood found itself wounded by one of Dae's arrows, and seeing that the battle was not going in its favor, it decided to flee and ran out of the room.

The last eye spy left was delivered a final blow from Terran. It was confirmed to have been slain when it disappeared in a poof of smoke, much like its partner.

"C'mon, we can't waste anymore time!" Claude shouted, leading them through another door and down a hallway of bookshelves. They came across a room with a desk, perhaps Elinee's own personal room. Climbing the steps, they ignored the furniture that came to life and headed straight for the door, bursting through to yet another odd sight.

They stepped into a long arena of sorts, the absence of a ceiling giving way to the dark sky of the Haunted Forest. It looked no less ominous than the dark, web infested corridors of the castle. Not far from them was Eliza, kneeling with a book opened in front of her. She chanted quietly while the quartet watched her curiously.

"This is my wish," she finally whispered to herself. She placed her palms upon the ground and a magical symbol began to write itself out. "I'll bring you back. I don't have the seed like I wanted...but maybe I can fix things once I do have it..." A trickle ran down her face and the teardrop landed on the glowing pattern just as it emitted a dazzling light, causing all to cover their eyes. The light died down a little, still filling the arena but mellow enough for them all to witness the undead abomination that clawed and climbed its way out of the depths of the underworld for another chance at life.


	10. CH 8: Things Better Left Forgotten

**Chapter 8**: _Things Better Left Forgotten_  
_By Nikovich_

As their eyes had adjusted to the light, the four stood in shock of the beast standing before them, now completely emerged from its unnatural origin. For the first time in years, it inhaled deeply, hulking over those in its presence. Almost twice the size of a man's height, the undead tiger slowly reacquainted itself with the new life given to it through Eliza's reanimation. Discolored through years of decay, its formally glowing striped coat now showed a sickly green; in some places entire patches of fur had eroded away completely. Though visibly decomposed, its muscles were still clearly intact and appeared to retain every ounce of strength they had in life. The spikes running down its back had not dulled over time, but years spent in resting had gnarled their appearance, and they were more unwelcoming than ever.

"Okay... now what is THAT!" Terran finally broke the silence, causing the beast to lift its head.

Claude tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, holding it at the ready. "Whatever it is, I think you made it angry..." The rest of the party followed in suit, preparing for battle. Eliza looked on in astonishment, not entirely prepared for what she saw. Clutching the Necronomicon to her chest, she took a short step forward, barely managing a whisper.

"Spikey...?" At the sound of her voice, the undead monster turned its head towards her and with some effort, opened its eyes to the world once more. Rather than the feline gaze she had known, an evil light shone through the rotten sockets, stealing her breath away. "Spikey..." she managed to gasp. "It's me... Eliza."

The glowing orbs narrowed into slants as the massive animal turned its body to face the witch. The four fighters watched in silent anticipation as the tiger stared down Eliza, heaving with each breath. For a short moment, it seemed to recognize her, and she smiled in relief. Her joy was short lived however, as the tiger inhaled sharply, rearing back as it puffed up its lungs. Eliza's eyes widened and the book fell from her grasp as the beast exhaled, spewing forth a large ball of fire directly at her. Instinctively, she raised her hands and attempted to stop the missile with a Force Wall spell. The projectile seemed to slow, but stayed its course. Eliza grit her teeth and directed all her concentration to the spell. The fireball almost slowed to a complete halt inches away from her fingers, appearing to hit an obstacle and pushing Eliza back from the force. The fire partially dispersed, but it wasn't enough to successfully block the spell and the projectile crashed into her chest, exploding around her. Eliza shrieked as the impact charred her blue top, and she fell to her knees, smoke rising off her burnt shoulders.

Dae gasped at the display. "It's out of control!"

As if on cue, the tiger cocked its head, turning towards the party. It flashed what looked like an evil smile, exposing rows of sharp teeth complete with a set of nearly foot-long fangs. The four snapped back to their senses as the beast turned its attention to them. Claude realized there was no other option at this point. "It has to be stopped!"

Niko smiled and clenched his fists. He had only just met these three and he'd since been in more danger than on the entire trip here. He was more than eager to test the skills he acquired while with the pack. This would be a fun game.

As if in response to their defiance, the creature crouched down and let out a hoarse roar, a cloud of dust emitting from its throat. Claude assessed the situation. "Dae, stay back and away from its front. We have to try and get around it and attack its flanks. Someone needs to stay in front and distract it!"

"Right!" Niko leapt at the opportunity, dashing towards the open jaws of the monster. He hadn't considered that his speed made him the best choice, or that his lack of a weapon would have rendered him all but useless if he had gotten behind it; he just couldn't contain his zeal any longer. Claude struggled to keep up with the vulpine, Terran following behind.

"Wait!" Claude's cry was either too late or not convincing enough as Niko had already engaged with the enemy. He turned back to shout to Terran. "Take the right side! Hurry before he gets himself killed!"

Niko stopped several feet away from the beast, as if coming to his senses upon seeing its sheer immensity up close. The pause wasn't intended to do so, but it gave Claude and Terran enough time to catch up. Niko waited for the tiger to strike first, ducking a swipe by one of its massive paws and darting in with a strong roundhouse kick to the side of its head. The animal grunted abruptly as if chuckling at the attempt before swatting Niko back across the room with another swipe. He hit the ground and rolled several times before coming back up to his knees, only a few feet away from Dae. She stopped in mid-draw and ran over to the wounded vulpine. "Are you okay?"

Niko lifted his arm and tugged at his shirt, exposing four gashes in the material stained with blood. Luckily, the years of decay had dulled the claws of the beast and the cuts were not deep. Niko bolted back up to his feet and shouted enthusiastically before charging back into battle, "I'm okay!"

Dae repositioned herself and loosed the arrow at the front shoulder of the creature. The arrow found its mark, burying half of its length in the tiger's dense muscle. The monster showed no signs of injury at all and turned its head as if summoned to launch another fireball at the pesky archer. Dae dove to the ground as the ball of fire raced by, singeing her robe. She rose to her feet and made a quick check for any injuries before circling further away from the dangerous front of her enemy.

Claude and Terran danced around the creature, jabbing and prodding at it while it spun around, striking back at them. They were doing a good job of keeping it away from the other, but weren't doing any damage, and it was clear they were beginning to lose control. With each retaliatory strike, the tiger was putting more distance between its aggressors, and its undead muscles were showing no sign of tiring. They wouldn't be able to keep this up for much longer. Terran struggled to hold onto his spear as Spikey swatted at it. When it turned back to Claude, he shouted at Niko, still rushing back to the fight. "Hey! Dog-boy! Hurry up and keep it busy!"

Niko darted back into the beast's line of sight, quickly getting its attention with his swift movements. He feinted and slipped sporadically in and out of the range of its claws, lashing out with quick strikes when it turned towards the two attacking its vulnerable flanks. Two more arrows had found themselves embedded in the ripples of muscle on its side, which the tiger offhandedly shrugged off. Though the tactic was proving effective, the results were unpromising. Claude hacked and slashed at the tough side of the undead monster, doing visible damage to its body but with no reaction from the monster itself. "Are we even hurting it!"

As if in response, Terran shouted in anger, lunging forward with his spear and sinking the head into Spikey's side. It snarled in anger, lifting its back leg and kicking its assailant to the floor. Terran fell hard on his back, temporarily dazed from the impact. Seeing the opportunity to permanently dispatch one of its attackers, the beast focused its pursuit on the fallen warrior, completely disregarding the other two immediate threats. Claude instantly seized the opening given to him, slashing downward powerfully with the sword deep into Spikey's ribs. The tiger had not even been slowed by the attack, and Terran looked up to see that it was almost upon him, with no time to react. Claude cried out as he followed up the slash with a powerful stab, pushing the sword as far as he could into the body of the creature.

Almost to Claude's surprise, the large cat arched its back in pain, giving Terran enough time to recover and answer back with a slash of his own. Another arrow landed in the thick flesh of its shoulder as it snarled angrily, as if it had been toying with them until now. Thrashing violently, Spikey shook off both its attackers and coiled its legs. Before they could get back to their feet, they watched as it sprung upward with amazing speed, quickly disappearing in the dark clouds of the forest's blackened sky. Almost as soon as it had disappeared, a loud thud sounded behind them, signaling the monster's return. The four turned around and saw nothing but the walls of the arena. Several pebbles tumbling down the stone walls revealed the creature's position on what appeared to be one of two parapets which bordered the large gate at the end of the hall. The force of its landing was so great, it had shaken loose a section of the wall above it. Its form was illuminated; it had already begun discharging another fireball, spitting it down at the last to notice his presence. It struck the bothersome fox in the chest, knocking him onto his back.

Niko's wind left him instantly and he felt a heat a hundred times greater than the hottest days of the Kakkara desert assault him. He had never been on fire before, but instinctively rolled over upon regaining his senses, more so out of the pain than actual knowledge. Though she naturally acted the role of the healer, Dae quickly saw the best employment of her ability was different this time. "Help him! I'll flush it out!" She dashed off to get a better angle. Claude and Terran ran over to help extinguish the engulfed vulpine before he lost too much fur. They swatted at the fire as Niko frantically went about patting the last patches of flame out. Terran pulled him up to a sitting position while Claude ran back to aid Dae in whatever attack she took it upon herself to mount.

Niko coughed, trying to force oxygen back into his lungs, while Terran tried to get him to respond. "Hey! Can you hear me? Are you alright?"

Though it took a lot to keep his spirits down, Niko had never felt a pain like this before. He looked down at the scorches on his shirt, now even more tattered than it had already been. His lively expression had faded and he winced in pain, having trouble responding. "Gah... I'm... nggh..." He looked down and nodded quickly before standing back up.

Dae already had an arrow nocked and several more ready by the time Claude had caught up with her. He was panting from the intensity of the fight and trying to coordinate everyone. "We can't reach it from down here!"

Dae's eyes remained fixed on her bow as she responded coolly, "I know." She fired two arrows in quick succession, both landing in the front flanks of the beast as it attempted to conjure up another fireball. The tiger grunted and took a few steps back before filling its lungs up with oxygen again. Claude knew what it was preparing and looked back to Dae, who stood fast, drawing back another arrow. He was unnerved by what appeared to be a look in the tiger's glare that isolated Dae, the only one who could strike back at such an advantageous position. He turned to address Dae of the impending danger and was almost reassured by the level of composure in her face.

"I hope you've got a plan!"

Dae took careful aim preparing her next shot and finally released. The arrow whizzed past Spikey's head, imbedding itself in the grout of the stones in the wall above it. The tiger ducked his head slightly as the arrow flew by and delayed the attack, almost seemingly to taunt the archer. Claude's concern returned as he turned back to Dae and shouted to her, "You missed him!"

Dae nocked another arrow quickly, still maintaining her poise, and replied calmly, "I know." The arrow again flew past the creature's head, striking half a foot away from the previous one. Before Claude could question her strategy, he saw the mortar of the stone, weakened and cracked by the tremendous impact of the monster's descent, give way. The resulting reaction dislodged the rest of the loosened blocks above it, sending a small avalanche of stony chunks tumbling toward the tower. As the first stone slammed into the tiger's back, it roared in anger, twisting its body in response. Its knees buckled as several more struck it in quick succession.

Claude turned back to Dae, who was looking on in satisfaction, and remarked, "Impressive..."

Dae smirked and nodded. "I know."

Before it was buried by the remaining chunks of the wall, the undead beast haphazardly launched the ball of flame at its attackers before disappearing once more into the dark clouds of the haunted forest's sky. Claude and Dae dove to the side as the fireball smashed in-between them, charring the stone floor before quickly burning out.

Claude bolted up to his feet and watched the sky eagerly with the rest. "Where is it? Do you see it!"

From her position, Dae spied a new shadow amongst the other three, growing large rather quickly. Though no sound accompanied it, she could guess what the outcome was to be and screamed in warning. "Look out!"

The three looked up to see the figure of Spikey tucked tightly in a ball, cutting through the clouds at an incredible speed. Niko dove down the small set of stairs at the center of the arena, as Terran and Claude attempted to dodge the spiked mass crashing down on them. Not being as agile as Niko, the two barely missed being crushed under the immense force of the attack. Spikey slammed down, gracefully uncurling and landing on its feet, cracking the ground beneath it. The shock caused the entire arena to shake; the concussion knocking down and stunning both Claude and Terran. The tiger growled proudly, pleased at the destruction it had caused, but its celebration was short lived. An abrupt whiz of Dae's arrow in flight ended with a sharp "thunk" as it pierced the glowing eye socket. The creature roared in pain as a small explosion signified the destruction of whatever the source of the light had been. Dae gasped as it turned its angry gaze toward her, now made even more frightening by the single hollow socket. Before she could produce another arrow, it had pounced, pinning her to the floor underneath its massive bulk.

Dae let out a sudden scream as the beast came down upon her, immediately going for her face with its enormous jaws. She held the bow against its neck, desperately trying to match the power of the 800 pound cat. Its fangs steadily neared her face; another moment and she would fall victim to its crushing bite. Seeing there was no way the other two would be able to recover and intervene in time, Niko took a dashing step forward and leapt at the hind quarters of the animal, kicking near its hip and nearly bouncing off with the impact. Niko landed with his feet set and lunged forward with what would have been a devastating right cross against pretty much anything but a gigantic undead tiger. He was rewarded with little more than a fleshy thud, but the tiger saw fit to pause inches from its meal to kick Niko away. When it turned back, Dae had already pulled her bow back and with a rebellious cry, jammed it between the powerful jaws. Spikey bucked slightly, throwing its head back and giving Dae just enough room to roll out from underneath it and run. Immediately upon coming back down, the jaws of the tiger snapped shut, shattering the bow and sending the splinters flying across the room.

By this time, Claude and Terran were up and already on the attack, slashing and stabbing the back and sides of Spikey. The monstrous feline roared loudly, jumping up and turning to face its opponents. It hesitated for a split second, letting the four begin their advance on it before tucking once more and rolling towards them at great speeds. Three managed to evade being steamrolled by the massive beast, but Terran's luck, and more importantly, his speed had not served him well enough. He couldn't manage more than raising a hand in defense as he was literally flattened by the rolling menace. Terran slowed to a stop after being viciously dashed to the ground while Spikey sped on as if through nothing, smashing into the wall and coming out of its roll. Dae ran over to Terran, now coughing and wheezing violently, shouting out to him.

"Terran! Terran, are you okay!" She grabbed him by the arm, pulling him back up to his knees where he remained for a moment, hunched over before responding.

"Yeah... just got... the wind knocked out of me," he forced out while Claude came over to help him back up to his feet. When he turned back to the wall, Spikey was nowhere in sight. The four spun simultaneously, scanning the room and skies for what seemed like half a minute. Only seconds later, Claude instinctively looked up to see the balled up tiger barreling downward, split seconds from squashing him along with Dae and Terran. The action came without a thought; he didn't have time to think. Without a word, he shoved Dae and Terran away as quickly as he could, but it still didn't give him enough time to escape. The monster came crashing down, crushing Claude underneath the full force of its compressed weight. Spikey uncurled and seemed content to find the helpless form of Claude sprawled out before him.

Not wasting any time to toy with its victims, the tiger set about finishing the gravely wounded boy. Claude was in no condition to defend himself, fighting a losing battle simply to keep his breath, with the other three in no better a position to help. The beast clamped its powerful jaws around the body of the fallen warrior, thrashing him about mercilessly before tossing his lifeless form back at the three.

"No!" Dae screamed and ran over to where Claude lay limp, his midsection marked by several deep bite wounds. She checked for signs of life and after finding none, panic began to overcome her. She closed her eyes and fought to come back to her senses. Snapping back, she remembered the cup of wishes they had bought from Neko. Thanking the goddess they had decided to spend the gold for it despite the high price, she pulled it from her pack as she turned to direct Terran and Niko. "Keep it away while I help him! I don't know how long we need for this to take effect!"

The two nodded and took off after the monster with a new fury. Niko did his best to preoccupy the creature while Terran struck out with deadly intent. While they held the monster back, Dae grasped the cup of wishes. Liquid began to magically fill the chalice as she watched. When it had finished, she poured the liquid over the vicious wounds on Claude's body. From afar, the beast seemed to sense that Dae was trying to aid the one he sought to put an end to. Now infuriated with these warriors, Spikey struck out violently, knocking both Niko and Terran to the side, then leapt for the other two. Just as the last drop left the cup, Dae looked up as a loud thud sounded directly in front of her. She lifted a hand in defense as the tiger swatted at her, knocking her away from Claude's body. Spikey reared up on his hind legs before the fallen form of Claude. If the previous onslaught hadn't killed the boy before him, this one would.

Claude snapped back into conscious as if awakening from a nightmare, instantly bolting up to a sitting position with his sword gripped tightly. For a split second, he wasn't sure exactly where he was until he saw the massive body of Spikey coming down on top of him. Claude had no time to react physically, thinking that the few moments after being brought back would again be his last. The reaction the magic had caused however, had saved him a second time. The first thing the tiger felt as it crashed down onto its victim was the blade of his sword. With no time to stop itself, the beast came down on all fours, completely pinning Claude underneath its weight. As Claude was pressed down against the floor, the butt of his sword stopped against the ground.

The moment its forepaws touched the stone floor, the beast once again leapt up onto its hind legs, throwing back its head and howling in pain. The sword was buried up to the hilt in the beast's chest, and rather than trying to pull it out, Claude wisely opted to remove himself underneath the monster. The four watched as light began to shine through the wound, reflecting off the blade and nearly blinding them all. Before the room was filled with the light, a crackle of energy emitting from the gaping hole in the monster's chest mutually persuaded the four to dive to the floor. A loud explosion rocked the interior of the castle, the arrows previously imbedded in the creature shooting out and into the stone walls. Claude looked up to see his sword spiraling towards him, barely missing him and imbedding itself into the ground next to him.

When the light subsided, the hulking form of the undead tiger was now replaced by its sinister skeleton, still moving as if it were alive. Claude scrambled to his feet and pulled his sword free, trying to fight back the discouragement. "Doesn't this thing ever die!"

The light emitting from the socket of the Tiger's skull was even more piercing than before. It seemed to illuminate its bones, giving them an eerie glow. It stalked forward, its bones clicking on the ground as it walked. The four warriors took the time to catch their breath and pressed forward determinedly.

Though it had no visible lungs, or any other organs for that matter, it still seemed to breathe, producing a green cloud from its nostrils as it exhaled. Claude and Terran broke off and began flanking the monster. Spikey stalked backward, trying to keep his opponents in his field of view. Though weaponless, Dae didn't stray far from the three, prepared to offer aid.

Something in the back of her mind was troubling her but she couldn't put her finger on it. It wasn't until the three in front of her charged and it was too late that it came to her. In anticipation of the attack, the bestial skeleton hopped backward and spewed forth a noxious, green cloud. Claude and Terran broke away, avoiding inhaling any of the poison fumes, but Niko was caught directly in the midst of it. He covered his mouth and turned to run, but he lost almost all control over his body as he fell to knee, choking and gagging on the fumes. Claude and Terran reinitiated their attack as the cloud dissipated before the creature could take advantage of the stunned vulpine.

Dae covered her mouth with her robe and helped Niko stumble out of harm's way. His complexion was rapidly changing and his muscles were convulsing. Dae pulled off her pack and hunted through it frantically. "Can you move! Are you poisoned? I think you're poisoned!" Her fingers touched the medical herb and she pulled it out, almost shoving it down Niko's throat. "Quick! Eat this, you'll be fine!" With that, she ran back over to Claude and Terran, still playing a dangerous game of tag with the beast.

Niko chewed the herb and almost immediately, his senses began to return to him. Though the pain was still running through him like an electric current, the first thing he noticed was the terrible taste in his mouth. He sat up and spit out the half eaten herb. Dae turned back at the noise and gasped. "What are you doing! The herb neutralizes the poison!"

Niko blushed and struggled to a standing position. "I'm sorry! It... it was horrible... I'm fine!" The herb had dulled the brunt of the poison, but some of it still lingered, inhibiting his movement. He shook out his limbs and trotted back over to the fray. There was little he could do offensively, so he tried his best to take some of the pressure off Terran and Claude, who were once again struggling to damage the monster. Though their weapons chipped and even cracked some of its bones, the huge skeleton again showed no signs of injury.

Claude hacked and slashed whenever the opportunity presented itself. Though discouraged again with his progress, he was determined to stop only when the battle was won. "There has to be some way to make this thing stay dead!"

Dae looked on and evaluated the situation. Her training put her well beyond the other three in terms of magic, but she was still inexperienced with its actual usage. "It's been reanimated magically, you can't kill it! The source of the magic... you have to find the source and destroy it!"

Terran parried several swipes of the beast's claws, the last one coming too close for comfort and tearing his vest. He backed off and pressed his hand to his stomach. "Well when you figure out how we're supposed to do that, let us know!"

As the monster turned its attention to Terran, Claude took the initiative and reared back his sword, smashing it into the side of its ribcage with all of his strength. The blow landed with a loud crack, sending a fracture line through two of its rib bones, which promptly snapped off. The attack caught the attention of the monster, and though it didn't appear to be in pain, it certainly was not pleased. It turned to Claude, swiping him to the ground. Claude hit the floor stunned and the beast dashed forward to finish him before he regained his bearings. As it moved in for the kill, it exposed its new wound to Terran. Quickly, a thought hit him. Although it didn't appear physically hurt from the attack, the creature seemed threatened by the results. He took aim and stabbed at the ribs surrounding the hole, only to miss as the tip of his spear reflected off the hard bone. The tip plunged deep into the cavity of the skeleton's rib cage, piercing what seemed to be nothing more than an eerie glow. A bolt of lightning ran through Terran's spear, as he dropped it and backed away from the shock. The light filled the room, blinding the four as a loud crashing noise assaulted their ears, catching them off guard. The light died down, revealing a happily inanimate pile of bones.

Claude stood and looked down at the bones, half-expecting them to come back to life once more. With the tip of his sword, he prodded the bones until it was certain the fight was over. He sighed and turned to the others. Dae and Terran breathed a sigh of relief in response and exchanged looks of accomplishment. Niko's fists relaxed and his breathing returned to normal. His legs relaxed for a moment, then sprang his body into the air as he threw a fist up, letting out a shrieking yelp of a laugh. "HAHAAAAAA!"

The three jumped and turned back to Niko, who stood defiantly with his hand clenched. Terran was the first to speak up, voicing his agitation. "What-is-_ wrong_ with you!"

Niko loosened up and blushed again, though it wasn't visibly apparent. "That was incredible! It was just like every story I've ever read! I've never been in this much danger before! I'm having so much fun!"

Terran was dumbfounded. His emotion collided with the crash of the adrenaline rush and he verbally laid into Niko. "Fun? Fun! Look at you! You've been ripped up, beaten... you were on fire!" His head snapped back as if leveled by a revelation and he turned to Claude, pointing at him. "Claude _died_"

Niko looked down shamefully as Claude shuddered, stepping in to stop them. "Don't say it like that..."

Terran's eyes widened as he inquired Claude intently, "What... what happened? What was it like? What did you see?"

Claude shuddered again and closed his eyes. "I don't want to talk about it." It was obvious though from his body language that he wished to get it off his chest and be rid of it. He succumbed only a second later. "It was black... everything was black. Except for... there was a figure... like a skeleton... with a cloak and a scythe... and he was laughing." He turned away and looked down. Claude shook his head, as if trying to shake the image from it, then turned to Dae. "Dae... is Eliza alright?"

Dae bent down next to Eliza's body. She was unconscious, but fine besides several burns. "She's okay, just a little crispy, heh." She forced out a chuckle, trying to alleviate the tension.

The witch stirred after being disturbed and began to pull herself to a sitting position. She looked around disoriented for a moment before focusing on the pile of bones in the center of the room. Dae stepped aside as Eliza ran over to the remains and fell to her knees. "All I wanted was to bring Spikey back... It wasn't fair for Aunt Elinee to take him away from me."

Terran took a step forward and spoke up while the rest approached from behind. "That monster certainly wasn't the thing you used to know."

"I know that now. That wasn't Spikey. It would be just as unfair to bring him back as a mindless beast. It was selfish of me not to acknowledge the consequences, but I just wanted to have him back." Eliza stood up, still staring at the remains on the floor.

Claude approached from behind; not wanting to belittle Eliza's troubles but intent on retrieving what they had come for. "Eliza, where is Elinee? Luka sent us to get something from her. It's important."

Eliza began to turn and placed her hand on her chin. "Aunt Elinee? She's... oh!" She gasped and spun around, flashing a shocked look at the four before taking off down the hallway, the party following quickly behind.

The bookshelf opened, revealing Elinee the witch, standing tall with her arms folded. Eliza looked down, unable to meet her Aunt's stare, but boldly stepped forward, ready to accept the consequences. Elinee didn't need to ask to know what had happened; Eliza's disposition revealed everything. "I warned you of the power of the Necronomicon, didn't I?"

Eliza's head sagged lower. "Yes..." She barely managed to squeak out a response.

"So... what do you think we should do with you?" Elinee looked up to the four figures behind Eliza, as if she had just noticed them. "Can I help you, er... children?"

Claude turned to his allies, as if awaiting any opposition to him speaking for them all, then answered. "We were sent by Sage Luka. She said that you would give us a weapon."

"A mana weapon!" Dae chimed in as she stepped forward, then shrunk back a bit apologetically for interrupting.

The old witch brought her wrinkled hand up to her chin. "The mana weapon you say?" She looked down and spoke quietly, seemingly to herself. "Hmm... it would seem something of significant concern is upon us. An odd collection of adventurers I'd say... but Luka is wise." Her head snapped back up and she smiled, then boomed out, "Very well, follow me!"

"No, not it. No... no... where-is-that-thing?" Brooms, talismans, and all manners of junk were flung over the shoulder of the witch as she rummaged through her storages. From the look of things, Elinee had been preoccupied with other non-magical affairs. Claude and Dae had to duck the occasional charm while the witch hunted through the pile.

Behind them, Terran stood with his arms folded and his eyes forward as Niko went on about his hometown, his friends, his parents, and whatever else crossed his mind. Niko's hands flew about, as if painting the pictures to go along with his stories as he raved. ".. I never thought it would happen either! My parents always told me they were only fairy tales and I'd just be disappointed. If they could see me now, they'd have to believe me! Look at these claw marks in my shirt! I've had this shirt for a long time.."

Terran struggled to keep up with what Elinee, Claude, and Dae were doing while pretending to listen. "Yeah... that's great. You don't say." He rolled his eyes and wondered when she was going to find what they were looking for so he could finally go back home.

"Aha! Here it is! I knew it was around here somewhere." Elinee produced a small chest. She touched her finger to the lock and it gave off a blue glow before clicking itself open. She set the chest down in front of Claude and Dae and took a step backward, contently locking her hands behind her waist. Dae sprang forward excitedly and opened the chest. Claude followed behind, personally amused at her exhilaration. He bent over her shoulder and peered into the chest.

"So what is it?" Claude squinted as he inspected the contents of the chest. Inside was a pair of heavy gloves. The material looked similar to a blacksmith's gloves, as though they were meant for handling hazardous materials. Claude raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "That's it? That's the weapon?"

Dae looked back at Claude and then at the chest. "I've read about weapons like these! They're meant to aid in unarmed combat, hand-to-hand fighting."

"Unarmed combat? It doesn't seem to make much sense.." Claude stopped in mid-sentence and turned around to Niko and Terran.

Terran locked eyes with Claude inquiringly, silently asking if he was needed for something. He was clearly growing weary of Niko regaling him with his stories, which were still in progress. "But they told me that it was okay to take the meat because they couldn't buy it themselves. And they taught me how to fight too! I've never seen anything like it! I mean, I used to fight all the time but never like this!"

As Niko continued, Terran spoke quietly to himself. "Did they get it yet?" He wondered if Claude's look meant they could be on their way when his head snapped up and he spun to face Niko. "Wait... what! Did you say 'werewolves!' You were hanging around with _werewolves_! "

Claude turned back to Dae with a nervous smirk. "She doesn't want the fox man to come with us... does she?"

Dae looked up from the chest and gazed heavenward. "Luka is very wise."

"How could she even know! And besides, he's... well... he thinks this is a game!" Claude hissed out his response, trying to keep his conversation between the two of them.

Dae closed the chest and stood up with it. "Maybe it's best if we all go see her." Clutching the trunk against her chest, she turned back to the old witch. "Thank you Elinee. I hope we didn't cause too much trouble... you know, with Eliza and all. I wouldn't be too hard on her."

Elinee chuckled and gestured back to her niece, who still stood behind her aunt with her head hung in shame. "Don't worry about her. Let's just say she'll be busy around the castle with her broom for quite some time. And she won't be doing any flying with it. Give the sage my regards, and good luck."

Claude said his thanks and walked back to collect Terran, who was now passionately engaged with Niko's storytelling. "But... they're WEREWOLVES! And you were WITH them!"

Claude tugged Terran over by the shoulder, interrupting his interrogation. "Come on Terran, we're going."

Terran took a deep breath and adjusted his vest. "Well... it's about time!"

At the castle gates, the four made ready to set off. Terran checked his belongings and prepared to say his farewell. He had had his share of scares for the day and he was anxiously waiting to get back to his subterranean home. Niko stepped lightly behind the three, still overjoyed with the party's victorious escapade. He leaped up beside the group before Terran could announce his departure. "Hey! You three are adventurers right? Can I come? Please! I can help! You saw me help earlier, right!"

Terran pushed past Niko and turned to face the other three. "Whoa there, fox boy. They're the adventurers, I just got caught up in this. If you want to go off on some crazy quest with them, that's fine. I'm gonna go home now, before that werewolf comes back for me with his friends."

Claude approached Terran while turning to Niko, trying to address them both. "Wait Terran, don't leave yet. Niko..." He sighed, trying to find the right words. "You have to understand that this isn't all fun and games. Before anyone makes any decisions about anything.." He turned to Dae and stopped in mid-sentence as she dizzily staggered in place. He lunged forward and placed his hands on her shoulders for fear she'd collapse. "Dae! Dae, are you okay?"

She brought her arm up and lightly removed his hand, nodding assuredly as she pressed her hand to her forehead. "Shhh..." She stood motionless, her eyes still closed, as if listening for some barely audible source. After a mildly suspenseful moment, she opened her eyes to her eagerly awaiting allies. "It's Luka. She wants to see us back at the water palace... all of us."

Terran jabbed the head of his spear into the ground frustratingly. "I've already helped you two more than enough! You've gotten what you came for, I said I was going home after that!"

Claude let out an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes. "Terran... let's just do what Luka says first and you can do whatever you want after that, okay? Now let's go, we've still gotta go back through the haunted forest before we reach the water temple so we might as well stick together." Claude headed off, Dae and Niko following close by.

Terran emitted a quiet whimper at the realization. He had all but forgotten how he had gotten here. "The haunted forest...? But... hey, wait!" Pulling his spear free, he trotted back over to the group as they headed back to the warp stones.


	11. CH 9: The Chosen One of Water

**Chapter 9**: _The Chosen One of Water_

_By ClaudeLv250_

"This is it!" Dae said with a wave of her arm, presenting the sight of the glorious Water Palace, nestled in a lake next to a mountain wall. Water gushed freely from countless openings in the Palace structure, giving way into the lake and repeating an infinite cycle.

"For many years, I've lived so close yet never bothered to see the magnificence of the Water Palace for myself..." Terran said, overcome with the tranquil atmosphere as the quartet admired the sight together.

"If you think the outside is something to look at, wait until you see the inside!" Claude said, leading the group into the shallow water. For some reason, Niko was the first to reach the stairs in an almost hurried fashion, while Terran was last, as if lagging behind purposely.

Dae looked over her shoulder. "What's wrong, Terran?" she asked, recognizing the all too familiar look of despair on his face.

"What if Luka doesn't like me?" Terran asked.

"That's ridiculous," Claude replied. "Why wouldn't she like you?"

"I don't know, but she just might not..."

"Sage Luka is kind and loving. There's nothing to worry about," Dae informed him.

"Besides," Claude added on, "I'm pretty sure she wouldn't have said to bring you guys all this way just to tell you that she didn't like you."

"I guess you're right..." Terran finally admitted as they walked through the doors of the palace, though he didn't feel any better. They continued through the palace, wonder filling their eyes as they took in all they could of the majestic fortress that housed all things water, with Dae keeping them focused on actually getting to Luka.

"Is that her?" Niko asked upon arrival, witnessing a cerulean haired woman conversing with seemingly thin air.

"Yes, it is," Dae replied. "We're back!" She said aloud to get the attention of the sage.

"Dae! Claude!" Luka exclaimed with open arms. "I trust things went well?" She asked, looking over their battle-worn clothing.

"Yes. We had gotten into a nasty fight for it, but we got the weapon," Dae replied.

"And we brought our two helpers," Claude said, moving out of the way so Luka could see them better.

"Terran Cleffton, and Niko Brandfaust..." Luka said with a smile, anticipating their reactions.

"How did you know our names?" Niko asked, amazed.

"I learn many things from the water of this palace," she said, the back of her hand pressed under her chin. "But in actuality, I know your names through the same source that led me to request your presence. I was just speaking to the Elementals."

"You mean, it's true...?" Dae asked, a smile beginning to spread along her face.

Seeing what Dae was implying, Claude said, "I considered it as a possibility, but..."

"What? What's everyone talking about?" Terran asked, finally turning to Niko, who seemed just as lost as he was.

"Claude and Dae are traveling together because they have been Chosen." Seeing that the confused looks only persisted, she elaborated, "Claude is the representative of Lumina, as is Dae for Undine. They were specially Chosen by these two Elementals for the task they are to be assigned."

"You, Terran and Niko, have also been Chosen. Terran, you were Chosen by Gnome, the Elemental of Earth, and Niko, you were Chosen by Salamando, the Elemental of Fire!"

"Are you serious?" Niko asked in disbelief. Luka nodded.

"But...what does it mean to be Chosen? What do we have to do...?" Terran questioned. He felt a deep wrenching in his gut. It seemed silly to worry over approval from Luka, but now an Elemental had 'chosen' him for something he was almost certain he wouldn't be up for.

"The world is on the verge of another dark plot..." Luka said gravely. "As ones Chosen by the Elementals, you will counter it, to protect all the things you love. Of course, you are in no way forced into this...if you want to back out, you can, and another will take your place."

All eyes were knowingly on Terran. He looked a bit pale as emotions swirled in him like a mixing pot, but one emotion grew stronger than the rest. He swallowed before saying, "I...I've never been one too confident in my own abilities...but Gnome seems to be...and it's in my blood! My father was a protector, and I will become one too! Many things in my life have been destroyed, including my original home, and my family...if I can stop things like this from happening, then I will do everything possible that I can!"

"It's good to hear," Luka said, noticing the odd gazes Terran was receiving from Claude and even Dae. "I see that Gnome has chosen wisely. And you, Niko?"

"I left my home for something like..._this._ I could feel it since before I even left. This was meant to happen. I can tell. A grand adventure...this is exactly what I wanted!"

"I see," Luka said contemplatively. "And Salamando tells me that you are a fist fighter? Then maybe these gloves should go to you."

"So this confirms that two more have been added to our ranks," Dae said, handing the Heavy Gloves to Niko, "but, I don't think I'll be of much use..." She looked towards the ground. "My bow was broken, and I'm not much of a hand fighter."

"Dae...do not worry," Luka said serenely. "I anticipated this day for years, and now it is time for you to receive it. Follow me, all of you..." She said, leading the way to a staircase that went into the lower part of the Water Palace. They stepped down into a hallway, with a small walkway surrounded by water leading around a corner. Dae had become quite aware of her surroundings, as did the others, for even she had not been into the lower area of the palace too many times.

"I wasn't quite sure when to give this to you, but now I know that this is the right time," Luka said, rounding the corner and stopping at an underground gate. With a wave of her hand, the water obeyed her mental commands and rose through two chutes on either side of the gate, causing machinery to churn and the gate to rise.

Inside the previously gated room was a green and yellow chest. Luka knelt down and opened it, revealing another bow. She picked it up and presented it to Dae.

"Dae...this bow is a weapon of Mana. The Chobin's Bow should serve you well, and will only increase its power in return."

Dae was dumbfounded. Her jaw was agape as she delicately held the bow, running a finger along its smooth green body.

"Thank you!" She cried, giving her mentor a much affectionate hug.

Luka let out a small chuckle before saying, "Well, now that you are equipped with this bow, it's time to complete the Chosen process."

"Complete the process?" Claude inquired, glancing to his comrades. "I thought we were already Chosen Ones."

"You're only part of the way there," Luka enlightened. "You see, the process consists of three steps. First, the Elemental handpicks one of many choices that appeal to them. Second, the Chosen must visit and receive the power of their Elemental, and finally, once blessed by the Elemental, they touch the corresponding Mana Seed to become a fully fledged Chosen One."

"That doesn't sound that hard," Terran stated, a bit relieved.

"So, are you ready, Dae?" Luka asked her student. Before she could reply, a thunderous sound echoed and they all nearly tumbled to the ground from the shock of the pavement underneath them. Small debris rained down into the ground and water.

"What the...! An earthquake!" Terran screamed fearfully.

"No...! Not now!" Luka exclaimed, leaving everyone even more confused. She dashed out of the room and down the walkway, the four Chosen following behind her.

"What's going on?" Dae called out to the Sage when they were back above ground and near the Mana Seed's resting place.

Luka felt a jolt of frightening energy, confirming her suspicions. "Dae! Go to the cave east of here!" She commanded.

"But I-"

"There is a monstrous being on his way, and you will need Undine's powers if you want to stand a chance against him! Now GO!" She demanded, swiveling Dae by the shoulders towards the exit. Her student reluctantly complied, hurrying out of the Palace.

"The three of you, follow me," Luka said sternly. She marched over to the left wall and waved her hand. The falling water abruptly split apart, as did the wall behind it to reveal a hidden room of the palace. She stepped in, followed by the three remaining Chosen.

The room looked a bit bizarre. It kept the flowing water motif, with water rushing down the walls, but the floor was built unevenly, as if large, individual steps at different heights all lead down to the smooth half of the far end of the room, which was submerged in much deeper water than the steps or any other part of the palace. At the bottom of the submerged portion of the room was a magical seal, glowing almost menacingly. The glow grew faint and died out completely, and a gruesome beast exploded out of the water, the sheer force of its revival sending water blasting into the ceiling, blowing a large hole through it and littering the water with debris. Sunlight was cast on its disturbing figure.

"Who the heck is that?" Claude said, taken aback.

"_What_ the heck is that?" Terran squeaked, balking away.

"He is Trydon," Luka stated, giving the creature an icy glare.

The creature had the face of a squid, with its black, beady eyes staring intently at the four on the other side of the room. Its body was covered in blue robes with golden trims, with a particular gold strip flowing down the middle and marked with an ancient language. Protruding from the sleeves were two arm-like tentacles, almost a mockery of the human form. Underneath the robe seemed to lay even more wriggling tentacles, whipping about individually as the creature hovered in the air.

"Hello, Luka," he said coldly. Had his face had a visible mouth, she would have sworn that he smiled a twisted smile when he said it.

"Hey, it talks!" Their non-human companion said in surprise.

"That's not all he can do, Niko," Luka warned. "Watch out!" She cried out as a pillar of water came tunneling straight for them.

* * *

Dae navigated through the water as fast as she could, it now rising to a level above her knees. She stood before the cave that Luka mentioned...a cave she had never dared to venture into until now. She ignored her own fears when she heard the audible sound of an explosion from the direction of the Water Palace and pushed herself through the cave opening. 

The only light provided in the small, earthen room was from the entrance. She pressed her legs through the water, walking towards a path that led deeper into the cave until she felt movement. She spotted three Iffish, malevolent fish with a wicked bite.

An Iffish leapt out of the water, spitting a nasty blue liquid. Dae ducked and began to nock an arrow with her new Chobin's Bow. The three fish surrounded her and started to circle her. Not giving them the chance to enact their next attack, she shot an arrow through one of their bodies. The other two fish backed off suddenly and just as she was about to make her exit, they let out horrible cries that sent a shudder through her body.

Dae wasn't quite sure if they were in pain, but the Iffish rammed into each other and seemingly melted, their bodies becoming deformed and growing into a larger mass. The larger, more sinister looking Iffish that resulted from their involuntary fusion was nearly the size of Dae herself, and bore its sharp teeth. Wasting no time, it charged straight for her, the water parting violently around its body.

Submerged up to her waist, Dae knew she couldn't completely avoid the attack with the water working against her. Regardless, she attempted to leap out of the way. She avoided the Mega Iffish's jaws but was still caught in its path. Her body was tossed into the air and she flopped into the water below.

She quickly rose out of the water to discover that the Mega Iffish had collided with the cavern wall that was once behind her. It flailed its body wildly in an attempt to face and continue pursuing Dae. Taking advantage of the situation, she let an arrow fly into its body, receiving a painful screech in return. In the time that it took it to free itself from the cavern wall, the Mega Iffish had been struck with two more arrows.

Dae was reminded of the urgency of the situation when another crash sounded from the Water Palace, this one strong enough to shake the cavern. The Mega Iffish reared its body back and spat more of the blue acid towards Dae, who ducked into the water to avoid it.

"I'm sorry but you're wasting my time..." Dae said, nocking an arrow back and holding her position, charging for an attack. "There are friends that need my help and a duty I must fulfill, and with this last shot, I lay your tampered existence to rest!" Energy gathered into the bow for her first technique, and she finally unleashed the _Speed Shot_.

The arrow, engulfed in a blue-green aura, moved at a speed nearly undetectable, leaving the Mega Iffish no time to react. The shot pierced its body and carried it through the air and into the cavern wall, slamming it against the rocks with immense force. The Mega Iffish toppled over and began to transform again, this time reverting back into the three ordinary Iffish it originally was. Three motionless bodies floated in the water, only moving when the current was sent in their direction due to the shifting body of the young woman leaving the room.

Dae climbed out of the water and onto the solid earthen floor in the next room. She continued onward and through another cavern opening, hearing the faint sound of falls. She approached a small underground opening, explaining the sound as water rushed down the walls and contributed to the flooded cave. At the end of the path was a divine creature with sea blue hair and a body that ended with scales and a fishtail. In her arm was a trident, which she used to beckon forth the girl that stepped into her domain.

Dae instantly identified the creature as Undine, the Elemental of Water. Her simple walk increased into a jog, a mass of emotions building up and swimming inside of her. However, she never reached Undine, for she blacked out only a few feet away from her.

* * *

"What's going on!" Dae's voice echoed out into the eternal darkness. 

"Do not be afraid, Dae Ripple," a calm, feminine voice replied. Dae turned around to find the Water Elemental as her only company.

"Undine..." Dae said with a bow.

"Dae, before I bestow my powers upon you...there's something I must ask."

"I'm sorry Undine, but I may not have time for questions," Dae apologized.

"I know the situation, and you need not worry," Undine assured her. She waved her trident, and the pitch black surroundings turned into the depths of the sea. Dae looked around, slightly panicked.

"We are in the depths of your mind...time does not move here in the same way that you comprehend." Undine began to swim about freely, as if the water were real, though Dae stood in place. "Dae, what is it that you seek?" the Elemental asked.

"I don't understand your question," Dae responded.

"There is no such thing as doing the right thing simply because it's right. There is a driving factor that motivates every living being to do what it does, whether it is to protect a loved one, to enact revenge, or simply to survive. Without conviction and reason, you might as well be a walking corpse."

"That's true..."

"Dae, as a young child, you've had large responsibilities dropped onto your shoulders. Chosen by Luka to be her successor at the mere age of three...and undergoing the necessary training at the age of six. Because of your duties, you did not have much of a childhood, with few friends and little time spent with your family from that point onward."

"Yes, but I was given a choice!" Dae defended.

Undine let out a friendly laugh, "I know, and you chose to become Luka's apprentice anyway...which leads me to the present. After extensive evaluation, I decided to choose you as my Chosen One...and you accepted that as well, which brings me back to my question. What is it that you seek to gain with my powers, and why?"

"I..." Dae started. She began to think, and started speaking again without realizing it, "When I was a child, I remember vividly the amount of fear I held in my heart, along with my family when the world was in danger. My own fear stemmed from the helplessness of the situation."

Dae sighed, "We couldn't save ourselves even if we tried, and it was all left up to the Mana Knight, Randi. From then on, I made an unconscious decision to be in a position where I wouldn't be so helpless...to watch over my family, and the Lowerlands as the new Sage of Water, or to harness the powers of the Elemental of Water as a Chosen One. The world is in danger again, and I won't be stuck sitting around while all the things that I love could be destroyed."

"Love?" Undine questioned. "So you do it for love?"

"I guess...I wouldn't dare allow anyone to touch my family, who I love dearly. And my friends..."

"I see..." Undine said expectantly.

Dae gave a strange look. "As someone who can enter my mind, I have a feeling that you already knew that."

"You're right, Dae," Undine said, swimming over to her. "But the importance of this conversation was for you to realize and admit it. And now, it is time to bestow my powers upon you..." Undine said, every word echoing louder. The sea began to ripple and fade, thrusting Dae back to reality.

* * *

"Wake up, Dae..." Undine said, gently nudging the young woman's body with her trident. The body shifted until Dae became aware of her surroundings, and rose to meet Undine. "This won't take long..."Undine informed her, pointing the trident towards Dae. A blue beam shot out and engulfed Dae's body, infusing it with the Essence of Water. Even after the lightshow was over, Dae's body, mind and senses still tingled with a newfound aptitude.

"To complete the process, you must touch the Seed of Water in the palace. But beware, Dae. The monstrous being that is attacking is none other than Trydon, an ancient Water Sorcerer with nearly unlimited control over water, as well as the sea life within it, which is what caused the atrocious mutation of the Iffish. His thirst for power is what is driving him to want claim over the Seed of Water, as well as my title of Elemental of Water, eventually..."

"...does he have a weakness?" Dae asked hopefully.

"Yes, as I said, he has nearly unlimited, but not _complete_ control over water. One of his known weaknesses is ice, a portion of the element that is completely outside of his domain. If he were to obtain the Seed of Water, however, he would be granted immunity and control over it. So, use your new abilities wisely Dae, and let the only limit of your potential be the farthest reaches of your mind!"

Dae gasped at Undine's sudden disappearance, and headed for her next destination once the cavern began to shake again. A voice echoed, though no one was quite around to hear it anymore.

"_...never forget what you told me...Dae Ripple..._"

* * *

Dae looked up to the Seed atop the large pedestal. She heard her comrade's battle cries, the very sound of their voices encouraging her into a mad dash up the stairs of the pedestal. A blast of water broke through the wall and she leapt, her arm outstretched for the Seed. The water pillar shot under her airborne form, and she grasped the Seed with both arms. The reaction was immediate, as the Seed let off a burst of blue Mana that engulfed Dae and clouded all of her senses.

* * *

_The Chosen process is officially complete for Dae...so how will it affect her? The showdown between the Chosen and an ancient enemy, as well as a little bit of light shed on Luka's mysterious past in the next chapter._


	12. CH 10: Trydon's Revenge

_It's been awhile. There hasn't been much progress, at least not on the MAIN story...there are several side projects related to NTSoM in the making. I'll announce and explain them in more detail later on when they're farther along. But for now, enjoy Chapter 10. There's plenty of action and a glimpse at the past._

* * *

**Chapter 10:**_ Trydon's Revenge  
By ClaudeLv250_

"Is this your only line of defense, Luka? It seems that much has changed in over a century..."

"You'll be surprised," Luka replied harshly, rising from her position on the floor after parrying one of Trydon's most used spells, Water Pressure.

"I hope to be," Trydon said mockingly, his floating form slowly approaching. There was a short silence between the two before one of his idle tentacles shot out abruptly towards Luka.

Terran jumped ahead of the sage and swatted the tentacle away with his spear. "Terran, no!" Luka called out, but it was too late, for a second tentacle had also shot forth, grabbing the young man and pulling him into the air. He struggled as the tentacle raised him to eye level with Trydon, where he froze in the face of the sorcerer.

"Utterly worthless..." Trydon muttered with disappointment. He attempted to snatch away Terran's spear with another tentacle, but found it quite challenging when Terran's emotional attachment to his family heirloom empowered his physical strength.

"Grab THIS!" Claude yelled, leaping through the air and bringing his sword down on the tentacle holding Terran tightly. The blade passed seamlessly through the limb like water, for the limb _had_ turned into water for a brief moment before becoming solid again, and before Claude could land, he found himself the victim of one of Trydon's many spells. He became encased in a bubble, which he swiped at with his sword, to no avail.

Using the distraction, Terran began to swat at Trydon with the spear. Having become bored with his presence, Trydon shook him around violently before tossing him across the room, sending him crashing into the waters of the submerged half of the room.

By now, Niko had attempted to free Claude from the _Bubble Lock_ spell, attacking the bubble with his new Heavy Gloves. "Nothing's working!" He said, just before the bubble was mentally heaved into the air and guided over to Trydon.

"You..." Trydon stated, trading glares with Claude. "You seem a bit...feistier than that other one. What is your name, boy? I expect to be in a good mood once I take the Seed of Water and kill Undine, and would like to mark your grave for your mourning parents."

"Hyaaa!" Niko leapt through the air with a flying kick aimed directly at Trydon, but the sorcerer used Claude as a shield, moving the bubble to protect his body. Niko bounced off of the bubble and back towards the ground.

Luka approached Niko just as Terran dragged his soaked body back to dry ground, but Trydon wouldn't allow the reunion to last long and shot off another Water Pressure spell, sending a pillar of water crashing straight for them. They dove to the ground, letting the blast pass overhead.

While Trydon seemed to be reveling in his control over the situation, Luka had come up with a quick plan. "Try to keep him busy..." she whispered to Niko and Terran, who were helping her off of the ground. "I'll try to free Claude with some magic. Hopefully, we can hold out long enough for Dae to return."

"Is she really the key to defeating him?" Terran asked doubtfully.

"Her Ice Magic will turn the tide of this battle," she replied sternly. She wouldn't allow Dae's comrades to lose faith in her so quickly.

"Lighten up, boy!" Trydon jeered at a glowering Claude. "I've been sealed under this palace for nearly one hundred and sixty years! I intend on having some fun with you mortals!"

Niko and Terran leapt for a simultaneous assault on the sorcerer, but both were caught midair by tentacles. Their bodies were slammed together and dropped to the ground.

"Ow..." Niko muttered.

"Maybe that wasn't the best thing to do," Terran admitted.

"I admit, Luka, that I am surprised," Trydon announced smugly. "Surprised by how incredibly incompetent your lackeys are." He lowered himself closer towards the ground, leaving Claude to float in the air above him. "If they are simply to be smacked to the ground with every attack, then I suppose that now would be a good time to put at least one of them out of their misery."

Luka's heart nearly skipped a beat. She knew how Trydon liked to kill his victims, and couldn't bear to watch any of these youths succumb to such a fate by his hands. She concentrated on the spell, hoping that after all these years it would still serve her well.

With the flick of a tentacle, another Water Pressure spell was cast. A column of water plowed straight into Terran, carrying him through the air. As luck would have it, his wet body tumbled to and skidded along the ground before the water collided with a wall and punctured through it, into the main chamber of the palace where the Seed of Water resided.

The real attack, however, was reserved for Niko as Trydon unleashed his _Aqua Tower_ spell. Water droplets rose from the ground and surrounded the fox like raindrops suspended in air. Before he could react, the spell was complete and they expanded into a full column of water. The sorcerer was attempting to drown him in a watery prison, on land no less. Set on fire and drowned on the same day. What were the odds?

Niko tried to fight and kick his way out of the cylinder of rushing water, but to no avail. The edges of the tower felt like solid rock. The spell was cruel and especially designed so that the victim could in no way escape, and Niko was beginning to realize this as he mustered one last assault on his prison. Though his view was obscured by water, he could still see the ominous form of Trydon, fixated on his spell, and it looked like help was not on the way. Ahead of him, Claude was still trapped above Trydon, and behind him, Terran seemed to be unconscious while Luka was in some kind of trance.

It was then that he began to feel the burning sensation in his lungs; his body's desperate plea for the air he was deprived of for so long. Time seemed to crawl in some brutal way of elongating his suffering, and his mind seemed to be going along with it when he thought he had seen a blue light engulf the room for a second. It was just when his world was fading that the voice of Luka cut through the silence.

"Claude!" She called out. "Get ready for your _Remedy!_" Her outstretched hands sent the spell in his direction, and a ring of blue light surrounded the bubble and rotated in place. The Bubble Lock spell was broken and the formerly impenetrable bubble popped, dropping Claude out of the air.

He took advantage of the situation and held his sword ahead of him before flipping forward and tearing into the monster below him. He was certain he made contact this time from the sensation of the sword ripping through flesh, and was reassured by the inhuman cry that echoed from Trydon. He landed on the ground in a kneeling position, as did a writhing tentacle next to him. A slimy blue substance landed on his arm, and he quickly wiped it away in disgust until his skin returned to its natural brown color.

With his concentration gone, Trydon inadvertently ended the Aqua Tower spell. Niko collapsed to the ground, sputtering for air as Trydon levitated higher than ever, surveying the situation.

'_Maybe we don't need Dae after all,_' Claude thought as he glanced at the severed tentacle, which had stopped moving by now. The tentacle gave one last sporadic jump before melting into water, just as more water from the palace gathered where Trydon's limb was missing. It shaped itself into another tentacle and became solid mass again.

"Damn!" Claude cursed. What little progress they had made in this fight had just been reversed almost effortlessly.

"He is a master of water..." Luka said gravely, kneeling over Terran's limp form.

"That is correct, Luka," Trydon hissed with a newfound hatred. "It seems I truly underestimated the situation...the only reason your three followers have survived this long is because of your influence. You are the problem I should have eliminated from the beginning!"

The sorcerer prepared for another attack, perhaps one of his deadliest spells yet. Out of the reach of swords and spears, he was safe to deliver an onslaught of magic without the fear of interruption. That was, until an arrow embedded itself into one of his tentacles and gave way to his temper. He let out a furious cry, and the water seemed to tremble from his raw emotion.

They all watched Dae as she nocked another arrow, unaffected by the fact that the first arrow had now left the sorcerer's body by slipping out of it as if in a current of water. He shot off another Water Pressure spell just as she released her _Speed Shot _technique. The blue green aura of the arrow burrowed into the front of the water column. Both attacks floated in midair, the charged arrow sending droplets spraying in every direction before finally cutting through the pillar of water and rendering it nothing more than a harmless explosion of water. It slipped through a liquefied portion of Trydon just as he anticipated the attack.

Luka was proud. She, like everyone else, watched Dae with a keen interest. There was something different about her, they all knew, but no one could quite point it out as Dae took the center stage and went into battle solo.

"I was sure the Iffish would have taken care of you..." Trydon muttered, swatting another arrow away with a tentacle. He retaliated with another Water Pressure spell, which was proving to be ineffective when Dae leapt out of the way.

"Dae, use your magic!" Luka cried out to her just as Terran began to stir. But Dae was already a step ahead, beginning to cast the _Ice Saber_ spell. The spell was unleashed as a cerulean flash of light gave birth to blue sparkles that surrounded Dae, orbiting around her body before enveloping her bow, infusing it with the power of frost. The bow became an icy blue, shrouded in cold energy that gave off a chilling smoke.

Dae nocked an arrow, which absorbed the energy of the bow upon touching it, and let it fly. The icy arrow left a trail of super cooled air before embedding itself into one of Trydon's tentacles. He let out a sharp cry as the tentacle numbed and ice and snow spread along it from the point of impact. The tentacle was shattered in an instant when another arrow struck it.

"Yes!" Claude cheered, rushing over to Dae's side. "Watch out, he can use water to reform his body," he warned, gripping his sword.

"Not if I shatter the rest of him first!" She claimed confidently, releasing another icy arrow into a tentacle.

Trydon recoiled and wordlessly flew towards the back of the room and over the deepest water. It was strange for him not to have an arrogant comment to go along with his actions, and they all watched carefully. For the first time, Trydon went on the defensive, and cast his _Mist_ spell. His tentacles flailed away as he released a thick storm of bubbles into the air. They all began to pop one by one, bringing a deep mist with them that eventually engulfed the room.

"What's...going on?" Terran groaned as he sat up next to Luka, noticing that the room looked very different than from before. He rubbed his eyes, but it certainly wasn't his vision playing tricks on him.

The mist was so thick that Claude and Dae were starting to have trouble making out Luka, Terran and Niko from their position, and decided to regroup with the others.

"How are we supposed to fight him now?" Niko managed to say, still feeling the effects of being nearly drowned. "We can't see him."

"Shhhh!" Luka hushed. "He's going to use sound to find us."

"I already have!" A voice boomed, and a pillar of water shot through the mist, just missing them. It seemed that his aim was a little off, and that the spell also hindered his own sight.

"I need a distraction that might reveal his location if we want to win this fight," Dae whispered.

"Alright, we'll make some noise," Niko said, and they scattered.

Trydon waited impatiently. No one had made sound in the past few minutes, and he was beginning to wonder if his opponents had taken the opportunity to flee. '_That makes things much easier for me_,' he thought, until he heard a voice.

"That tentacled freak probably ran away," He heard the voice of Claude say from a distance.

'_They dare mock me!?_' Trydon was outraged and hurled a pillar of water at the faint outline of what he thought was Claude. He couldn't tell if he had made contact, but wasn't willing to dispel the mist to find out.

"What kind of sorcerer uses a spell that hinders even his own attacks?" Terran said in an uncharacteristically conceited manner.

"Trydon's mastery over water never stopped him from being an utter failure," Luka said with a mean-spirited cackle. It seemed that she was enjoying the teasing more than she should have.

Trydon's rage only increased, and he shot off a flurry of Water Pressure spells. When he heard no more mockery, he was pleased with the results.

"I think he _tried_ to shoot us with that spell," Niko said. "Some sorcerer, using the same old tricks the entire fight."

Trydon's emotions could no longer be controlled once snickering ensued. '_Tricks!? I'll show them power they never imagined!_' He thought, going over what of his many spells and abilities he had but never revealed to anyone...an attack that would be perfect for springing on them. He became elated when he decided on a technique that was simplistic but deadly. Stretching his tentacles out as far as they would go, he began to spin. He continued spinning until he became a blur, and shot into the direction of the snickering.

"What's he doing? He hasn't attacked us in awhile," Niko whispered. His question was answered when the rotating form of Trydon cut through the mist at breakneck speeds. He ducked as Trydon soared overhead and headed straight for the palace walls. The sorcerer never made contact, but instead guided himself in the direction of Luka and Claude.

"Arrrgh!!" A searing pain stopped Trydon in his tracks. His twisting body became stable, and though he couldn't quite see it, he knew exactly what had struck him in his back. The icy arrow was still embedded in it, and frost began to spread along his robe. He cast an angry glance at the left side of the room, where Dae stood atop dry ground with another arrow ready for takeoff.

"I knew someone with your arrogance would fall for our plan," she said. "You just couldn't help yourself. When we started to degrade you with our words, you had to prove yourself. Apparently, ice magic isn't your only weakness."

Trydon cried out in frustration. Things were going so well until this girl showed up with her potent Ice Saber spell. He became desperate and wanted to end the fight as soon as possible, any way he could.

"I'll have that seed!" He bellowed. He released one of his deadlier spells, Acid Storm.

Dae gasped as the green rain fell from the ceiling. She dived into the water below to avoid the acid as it slowly began to eat away at the floor she was standing on. Smoke and fumes began to rise from the damaged tile.

Trydon's confidence began to return. With Dae and her enchanted bow temporarily out of the way, the others wouldn't be able to stop him. The Mist spell was beginning to run its course and the room was nearly completely visible, which only contributed to Trydon's confidence when he realized that the doorway to the main chamber of the Water Palace – the resting place of the Seed of Water, was unguarded. That was, until the trio of Claude, Niko, and Terran leapt in front of the exit in anticipation.

"No matter," Trydon said. "You three don't have the power to stop me." His tentacles extended and body whirled into another _Cyclone_ attack. He expected to feel the sensation of plowing through his opponents, but instead met unbearable pain. He recoiled in shock, unsure of what could have struck him in such a manner. Then the familiar numbing sensation returned, and he stared at the trio in horror.

"You...you...!" He was at a loss for words, surveying what was left of his tentacles.

"Dae gave us a little power boost while you were hiding in the mist," Terran said, holding his spear proudly. His spear, Claude's sword, and Niko's gloves were all infused with pure ice energy, the work of Dae's Ice Saber spell. They were a frosty blue, giving off freezing smoke. And by the looks on the owners' faces, they were eager to use their newly enchanted weapons.

Trydon never found the time to reply, for chunks of ice began to materialize and form in the air before raining down on him. Every hit drained him of his power, and he eventually collapsed under the hail of ice, his body nearly frozen over in a thin layer of frost. It was taking what little strength he had left just to continue breathing.

"Face it Trydon, you lost." Dae approached from behind him. "Surrender unless you want to suffer another Freeze spell. I doubt you could survive it."

The sorcerer let out a hoarse laugh. "To be sealed again under the palace...I will be released...once more...and take the seed as my own..."

"No, Trydon," Luka replied. "Sealing you away is proving to be ineffective. We cannot risk you breaking free again, on an unsuspecting generation. Or even worse, accomplishing your goal..."

"Sage Luka, you would never..."

"Yes, Trydon," She said gravely. "If it were necessary...I am one of the protectors of this world. I would not be fulfilling my duty if I knowingly put the world in danger once again."

"If you can conform with that...then maybe you can understand why I'm going to do this!"

Trydon's body radiated with blue mana, and the floor beneath him began to quake. He was summoning one of his most powerful spells for his final assault.

"What's he doing!?" Terran cried. The water began trembling even worse than the ground, and Terran gaped at the other end of the room as he hit the floor from a loss of balance.

"I won't let you!" Dae declared, nocking another arrow with determination. The enchantment on the bow faded just as she released the arrow. It skidded across Trydon's icy back.

"The _Tidal Wave_ spell..." Luka said, absently staring into the water.

"The hell!?" Claude had never seen a wave of water so large. It sat idle at the end of the room, growing larger with each passing of time, as if it were building up and waiting for the right moment to let go...and that moment was now. It raced forward, nearly touching the ceiling of the palace and letting off a deafening roar of crashing water.

It came down on them all hard. Claude's vision became nothing but a sea of blue as his body was involuntarily rolling through the raging waters. His back slammed against one of the raised platforms and he caught a glimpse of a large figure whizzing by under the rays of light provided by the hole in the palace ceiling. He recognized the flailing tentacles as Trydon's.

'_**I can't let him get away!!!**'_ Claude screamed in his own mind, but his human strength was no match for the water that pinned him down. The only thing he could control was his own thoughts. And just as he felt his breath slipping away, the water parted. Behind him was Luka, using her power over water to create a safe haven.

Eventually, the bodies of Niko, Dae, and Terran were pushed out of the water by the current and onto the temporary dry spot. They all looked at the walls of water they sat between in confusion.

"I think Trydon got away!" Dae said in a panic after coughing up water, her robe compelely soaked.

"I saw him too!" Claude said. "We have to go after him!"

"No," Luka said, shocking them all. "Trydon is out of your reach. Now would be a good time to rest and recover."

* * *

"Where are all of these powerful monsters coming from?" Claude said to no one in particular. They all sat in the main chamber of the palace, the seed they fought to protect radiating extra mana behind them as if in a form of giving thanks to its saviors. 

"I don't know, but I don't like it!" Terran complained. "Not one bit!" Luka laid a palm on his bruised shoulder and he winced in anticipation of pain. He was stunned by the tingling sensation that shot through his body. When she removed her hand, the bruise was no longer there. He was healed.

Luka sighed. "I can only guess that the fluctuation in mana caused Trydon's seal to fail. We never anticipated that." She had a distant look in her red eyes, reminiscing of times long since past.

"_We?_" Dae questioned. "As long as I've been here, you've never told me the story of Trydon. Did you two have any history?"

"Ah..." Luka murmured. A sudden sadness escaped her lips. "I regret not telling you of Trydon sooner, Dae. The battle that led to his sealing happened so long ago...160 years to be exact. I didn't want to risk bringing the present into the past by reviving Trydon through my memories, but he returned anyway."

"So what happened?" Claude asked curiously. "How did _you_ seal a monster like _that_?"

"It wasn't just me, actually," Luka said. "I participated in the battle, but I had help. There were warriors much like yourselves that aided me. Of course, they were older and more experienced, but they didn't have the protection of the elementals like you do. But there was also one more person that helped me. A person long since forgotten...did any of you know that there was once a Sage of Fire?"

"Really?" Niko said. "I've never heard of her!"

"**He** had been a sage longer than even me. His name was Ashura." There was a fond smile plastered on Luka as she remembered the face of her fellow sage. His fiery red hair, yet his soothing blue eyes...

Dae caught wind of this. There were few times that she saw Luka smile that way.

"Was there...romance?" Dae asked with a playful grin. Luka's face flushed. She turned away and attempted to hide it behind her cerulean hair.

"Dae! Sages are not allowed to fall in love..."

"Oh, that's too bad," Niko said. "It seems pretty lonely in this palace."

"So what happened to him?" Terran asked. "Trydon didn't...?"

"Oh, no!" Luka exclaimed. "Trydon could never put out Ashura's flames! It was he who fought that cursed sorcerer the hardest! Of course, I supported him with my bow." She pointed to the weapon sitting idly in Dae's bag. "That was once the greatest bow the world had ever known 160 years ago. It was the Seahart, and acted as an extension of myself...an extra limb, if you could imagine."

"While Trydon may have a significant influence over water, even he was envious of the Seahart. But like any mana weapon, its power starts to fade with time if it isn't used. The mana inside a weapon will respond and thrive off of the life energy coursing through human hands, otherwise it will revert to its weakest, simplest form...as the Seahart did, reverting into the Chobin's Bow. The same will happen to spells if you neglect to use them. Normally, I would have been able to cast a Remedy spell in seconds, but..." She trailed off.

They all traded glances with each other.

"I implore you!" She blurted suddenly. "Even in a time of peace, do not forget the weapons and spells that aid you! You do not know if you will ever need them again."

The quartet nodded. They respected the sage's advice. But something was on Claude's mind.

"If it wasn't Trydon, what did happen to Ashura?" His question caused sadness to return to Luka. Her bright eyes were now aimed towards the ground.

"A few decades after we sealed Trydon under the palace, Ashura decided to relinquish his status as a Sage. He said that he felt he had served the world long enough...that the title of Sage was not permanent. And he was right. He became a normal human being once again, and lived out his days in Kakkara. He died of old age."

"As for the Fire Palace...Ashura had no successor as Sage. It has now become an empty place where Ashura once walked the halls, with few visitors...except for the occasional monsters, of course. If only..."

"Luka!" A voice boomed. They were all startled, some even reaching for weapons. The short form of Gnome appeared before Luka. A look of fear pierced upward from under his green, floppy hat. "We have trouble, Luka! Werewolves have just entered the Underground Palace!"

"What in the Goddess's name could they want down there?" Luka was troubled, but it paled in comparison to what Terran was feeling.

"What are they doing down there!?" He pushed himself off of the ground. "The dwarves are my only family...they can't hurt them!" Grabbing his spear, he ran towards the palace exit.

"Terran, wait!" Claude called out, but it was too late.

"Follow him," Luka order. "They'll tear him apart if he does the wrong thing!" She didn't have to say it twice. They gathered their belongings and ran after Terran. While one conflict was averted with Trydon, another had been secretly boiling over.

* * *

_Not much was said about Luka's background in Secret of Mana. It only felt natural to expand upon it. I have some ideas on how to go into that part of her life in detail, but I won't say how until I've made my final decision. Until then, look forward to some more action in Chapter 11...it should be one of the longest chapters yet._


	13. CH 11: Defiled Sanctuary

It's been a long time coming but it's finally here...chapter 11. I'd like to apologize for the delay but on the bright side, this is a co-authored chapter. And the wait is finally over.

**Chapter 11:** _Defiled Sanctuary_

_By ClaudeLv250 & OnslaughtRM_

"Hey!"

"Stop!!"

The cries fell on deaf ears.

Terran made a powerful leap through the falls of Gaia's Navel, rolling through the water and climbing onto dry land inside of the hidden cavern. He spotted three figures behind him bursting through the falls that concealed the entrance. He knew what they wanted, but the emotions he felt stopped him from caring.

The dwarves were his extended family. For such a cruel twist of fate to place the creatures he feared most in the one place he was most comfortable in...felt like a nightmare. A nightmare he desperately wanted to awaken from. To step into the village and realize that it was a false alarm; a figment of his imagination. A tingly feeling of anxiety told him otherwise, but he shook it off. He had to keep hope alive.

"Don't be stupid!" Claude called out as he spotted Terran's figure disappear around an earthen wall. He took a few quick breaths and climbed out of the water behind Niko and Dae. Terran wasn't particularly fast, but he did have endurance, and kept his pace for most of the way. They quickly followed him through the secret passage he had shown them earlier that day.

That day...it seemed that so much had happened in such a short time, and the world was starting to reflect this. Very little light was entering the cave from the entrance due to the setting sun. Dae cast a glance over her shoulder towards the falling water, glowing with the orange light of the dusk sky. Gaia's Navel, nature's paradise, would be shrouded in darkness in only a matter of minutes. Not that it mattered where they were going.

The shuffling of feet brought her back to reality, and she followed Niko and Claude down a long flight of steps that Terran had nearly cleared. They stepped into a familiar workshop, finding that Terran had nearly toppled over a smaller figure before him.

"Terran! What are ya doing!?" The small man chastised. "Ya didn't show up for yer lessons, and now this goes along and happens to the village!" His bright eyes, though nearly concealed under the animal skull he wore atop his head, were set sternly on Terran.

"Watts! Are there wolves here?" Terran asked, trying not to make eye contact with the dwarf.

"So ya know?" Watts was a bit surprised and ran a hand through his beard. "News travels fast," he muttered quickly, his eyes lingering over to the three visitors that stepped into his workshop.

"Terran, what's gotten into you!?" The glowing light provided by flames and lava in the far corner of the room gave Dae a more fierce look than she actually felt. At this time, Terran would normally turn sheepishly to his companions, knowing that he had done something reckless. But he didn't. He was too determined...and conflicted.

"I see..." Watts chuckled. "Found yerself some friends, heard about the wolves, then came chargin' 'ere towards Gaia's Navel, did ya? Ya always did pick the worst times to ignore yer fears."

"But you know how I feel about this place!" Terran replied in protest. He made the mistake of making direct eye contact with Watts, and was silenced immediately by the disapproving look.

Watts made a gesture with his hand. "Follow me...all of ya!" The trio behind Terran traded bewildered glances, but proceeded as told anyway.

The green door to Watts' workshop flung open and the little dwarf marched out, followed by three humans and a fox. They surveyed the area. The village was no longer a place bustling with dwarf activity. It was eerily quiet with individual groups of dwarves gathered by the doors to their homes, whispering and occasionally peeping over their shoulders. Scattered about the village were shewolves. Shewolves belonging to a larger pack of wolves.

Niko's eyes widened. Did he know them?

"What have they done?" Terran mouthed silently. Watts adjusted his headgear and looked up to his apprentice.

"They came in 'ere and pushed us out of the way! Damn wolves took advantage of our peaceful nature, threatenin' to hurt us if we tried to stop 'em from headin' into the Underground Palace!"

"So they didn't hurt anybody? And didn't say what they wanted?" Claude asked. Watts shook his head.

"No, they just left their females and headed into the palace!"

Dae folded her arms contemplatively. "Well, there's only one reason I can think of for why they'd storm their way into the Underground Palace, and that's for the Mana Seed of Earth. There's nothing else down there that I know of."

"Damn," Claude cursed. "Another seed in jeopardy? They might've already beaten us to the punch!"

Watts smirked. "Oh, I doubt that. Those wolves probably didn't know that monsters have been showin' up in the palace recently. Their hands'll probably be full." His amused face shifted to be more serious, along with his tone. "Yer goin' down there, aren't ya?"

Somberness lingered throughout Terran. "Gaia's Navel will become a dusky husk and uninhabitable if the seed is taken away for too long. I don't like the idea of fighting wolves, but..."

"I won't stop ya. Personally, I think ya need to give those wolves a good lickin'! And if ya don't come back after a certain point..." he made a gesture with his head back to his workshop. Lined along the walls were his work; swords, spears, axes, and other weapons of variable shapes and sizes. "I can convince the others that we can drop our nonviolence policy for just a few hours." He smirked and nudged Terran in the leg, which triggered Terran to bear a smile of his own; the first since he returned to the village.

"Thanks Watts..." he said, and looked towards his companions. "You'll help, won't you?" There was a unanimous chorus of approval.

"That's what we're here for!" Dae said. "Lead the way!"

Terran nodded. "The entrance is in the center of the village." He guided them to their destination, garnering curious glances from the few shewolves in the village. None of them attempted to stop the quartet, but continued to watch them closely as they descended the earthen stairs and headed for a opening in the rocky wall.

"I never noticed this hole in the wall before," Claude said, touching the rough surface with a hand.

"The Underground Palace isn't far into here," Terran informed them. He kept a hand close to his back where his spear was strapped as they trudged into the darkness. The small cave they arrived in was illuminated from the light provided by both the path leading back to the village and the immediate entrance to the Underground Palace. Guarding that entrance were three werewolves.

Terran stopped in his tracks.

Niko's mouth was agape. "...Kaiser?" His suspicions were confirmed.

"W-we...we've seen him before!" Terran stuttered in a craze. The leader of the three wolves was only vaguely aware of the newcomers until he realized just who had the audacity to make the trip to the Underground Palace. A wicked smirk crossed his face when he was met with two surprises from this one group of people.

"It would've been silly to think the wolves would just let us walk by," Claude said quietly, unsheathing his sword as 'Kaiser' approached. "Especially a wolf we already know is dangerous."

The others followed suit by wielding weapons of their own, though Niko was a little reluctant. They formed a line, standing side by side as a wall anticipating the werewolves' next move.

"Well isn't this a surprise? It's not just Pup who showed up, but _Terran_ and friends too," Kaiser said, wearing a haughty smile when Terran squeaked meekly at the sound of his own name. The two wolves behind him chuckled.

"Kaiser, what are you doing here?" Niko questioned the wolf in red. "And where is everyone else? Are they in the palace too?"

"You would have been better off if you didn't come back," Kaiser replied flatly.

"What should we do with them, Kaiser?" One wolf asked enthusiastically, with an eager grin on his muzzle.

"We were put on guard duty, so we'll guard the palace. And have a little fun while doing it too." And with those words, the battle had officially begun. There were no warnings. There was no reasoning. Just a lust for combat.

Both parties stood their ground. Kaiser lifted his arms ahead of him in a battle stance, and his two companions mimicked his actions.

Dae began to slowly nock an arrow, waiting for either one of the wolves to make a move. After her first battle with Kaiser, she had an idea of the wolves' speed, and even if they did catch her off guard, she felt confident in the comrades that stood next to her as firmly as ever. All except...

Terran. His fear was taking a visible physical toll on his stature. Sweat beads formed on his forehead, and his legs trembled in fright, occasionally letting his tall figure wobble awkwardly. He inwardly beat himself up for it, but it did nothing to quell his intense emotions.

Kaiser read his movements immediately. After his first encounter, he already determined that Terran was the least confident of the group of humans. 'Pup' added to the mix changed nothing; if anything, he suffered the opposite problem of Terran by having too much confidence and not knowing his place. He was now starting to become tired of Terran's pathetic image, and felt like giving reason to the man's terror.

And that reason happened in a blur. Terran saw Kaiser make his move, but it felt like his own body reacted in slow motion before an elbow was planted squarely in his gut.

Claude and Niko witnessed the movement of brown fur and red cloth, followed by Terran hitting the hard cavern floor with his backside. It was as if Kaiser glided across the ground.

Claude and Niko engaged Kaiser, though Claude stopped when he realized that the other two wolves were on the move and heading straight for Dae. With Terran down at the moment, she would need all the help she could get to hold them off, and left Niko to hold off the top wolf on his own for the moment.

Dae released an arrow and one of the wolves jumped to the side to dodge it, just as she expected. She leapt to the ground just as the other wolf approached, rolling straight into his legs and knocking him off of his feet. The other wolf was startled by this movement, leaving his back open for a kick from Claude.

"Ganging up on a girl?" He smirked and positioned his sword ahead of himself as the wolf turned around with a feral snarl. "That's pretty messed up!" Their battle had begun.

Niko slid to a halt. "Kaiser, stop!" he pleaded, standing between Terran and the wolf. "Why are you doing this? And what happened to me?" Kaiser looked rather bored by all the questions and didn't respond. "Answer me!! I'm part of the pack too!"

Kaiser snorted with amusement. "If you're really part of the pack, you'll get out of my way and call the humans off. The entire reason we're down here is to preserve the pack...and our families."

"You're lying!" Terran sputtered from his position on the ground. "Taking the seed will only make the people living here suffer!"

"Shut up!" Kaiser snarled, heading for Terran again, but Niko continued to block his way.

"You still didn't tell me what happened!"

"You got put in your place! And it's about to happen again!" Kaiser lodged his knee into Niko's gut before flipping him onto the ground. He pressed Niko against the cavern floor with his boot. "And this time you won't be getting back up!" He declared with a crazed delight.

"RAAAAaaaah!!!" Terran had gotten up in an impressive display of speed for himself. Holding his spear high above his head, he twirled it in both hands with incredible speed and strength until it became nothing more than a spinning blur. He finished his new _Mighty Thrust_ technique, shoving the spear forward. Kaiser jumped back just in time to avoid the spearhead, but the power behind the attack was still enough to blow him away without direct contact.

"You damn fool!" Terran chastised Niko, who was still on the ground. "What are you doing? That werewolf is going to kill you! Fight back!"

"But he was...he is...he's my friend!" Niko coughed. "We were all part of the pack!"

"What are you, two years old!?" Terran's annoyance with Niko was never stronger before this point. "Clearly he can't be your friend if he's trying to **kill you!**"

Niko sat up and surveyed the battle field before him. The irritation on Terran's face, Kaiser recovering from the attack, and Claude and Dae fighting off two other wolves from the pack. It was a disaster. His friends were fighting...his friends?

Claude slashed in a wide arc, prompting the wolf he was fighting to jump back. He followed up with another slash, this one cutting the side of the wolf. The wound wasn't deep but enough to propel him into retaliation. He threw a high kick which Claude sidestepped.

Sliding forward, the wolf attempted to elbow Claude, but he moved out of the way and made another swipe which made contact and cut deeper this time, right across the back. The wolf wasn't hurt badly, but did reach back to clutch his wound and see just how deep the cut was. Taking advantage of the distraction, Claude held the Broad Sword and slammed the flat of the blade into the back of the wolf's head, sending him into the cavern floor. He didn't know how long the wolf would be down, but went to help Dae anyway.

Dae found her bow's usefulness cut in half when the wolf closed the gap between them. She had no time to cast any magic, so she swung her weapon like a bat and missed. She attacked again, kicking at the wolf. He grabbed her foot mid-kick and pulled her forward. She slid until she collapsed and continued kicking away at the wolf to keep distance between them.

The wolf violently jerked forward. He had been slammed in the back with the hilt of a sword. Instinctively, he threw an elbow behind, catching Claude in the attack, and followed up with a series of kicks that were being half-dodged. Dae prepared an arrow while in a sitting position, hoping Claude could keep the wolf busy just a little bit longer. After a few seconds, a blue green aura wrapped itself around the arrow. Claude noticed the stored energy and rolled out of the way, avoiding a high kick thrown his way in the process.

Dae unleashed her first technique, the _Speed Shot_. The arrow barreled through the air and in a split second, made contact with the wolf. The aura dispersed on impact, sending the wolf flying forward with a yelp. He didn't get back up.

"Your technique's pretty cool," Claude admitted, helping Dae up. "The way it sent that wolf flying through the air..." She was about to respond when they heard a cry.

Terran was kicked back by Kaiser. He retaliated by spinning the spear in his hand and making a wide swipe with it. Kaiser stepped back, then leapt forward with a kick. Claude intervened by leaping forward with a slash that Kaiser avoided. Dae unleashed an arrow, but Kaiser pivoted. She rolled her eyes in frustration, remembering the battle they had with this wolf earlier that day. It was going to be another repeat.

Her face lit up when she realized that they weren't in the same situation. She had a few tricks up her sleeve that she didn't have before. She slipped the bow into her backpack and summoned the mana within her. She began casting a spell of water and ice, her hands giving off a blue aura as she concentrated.

Kaiser seemed to be enjoying himself, as well as going after Terran. With Niko not directly participating, he only had to fend off Claude since Terran wasn't doing so well at the moment. The delight he felt in beating on Terran increased with each punch he landed.

"Get out of the way!" Dae cried and released the Freeze spell. Terran and Claude did as told, leaving Kaiser to be assaulted with falling rocks of ice. He attempted to shield himself but ice and snow continued to form in mid-air and pummel him until he was engulfed in a freezing mist. When it cleared, he was encased in snow.

Claude cautiously stepped around the frozen figure for a few seconds before exclaiming, "Haha, you turned him into a snowman!" Terran wasn't quite as happy.

"You!" He hissed, pointing accusingly at Niko. "You were going to let that wolf kill me!"

"He was my friend!" Niko replied. His defense did nothing to sway Terran, who's furious glare bore into him.

"Wait, those are the wolves you were talking about?" Claude asked. "That pack you were with before?" Niko nodded.

"Hey!" Dae cried out, pointing. Another wolf had slipped into the room while they were talking. This one was larger than Kaiser and had blonde hair. He heaved the snowman onto his shoulder.

Niko's eyes went wide. "Talek!?"

Talek gave them a look of disgust before dashing back into the Underground Palace.

"So the rest of them are in the palace..." Claude deduced, a hand under his chin. He glanced around the small cavernous room that was the checkpoint between the Dwarf Village and the Underground Palace, surveying the result of the battle. "The wolves in here are down, but they're not dead. Let's get inside the palace before they wake up."

* * *

The quartet walked across the cavern and onto man made steps. They rose into the structure above, entering the Underground Palace for the first time. The palace was an architectural wonder, gray patterned tile floors, the bronze colored walls lining all the rooms, stained glass windows decorating some of the walls, and the fires burning in pillar alcoves. 

"It's a little bit like the Water Palace," Claude whispered, taking in the sight.

"You're right," Dae agreed. "But we don't have time to look around. We have to find the seed!"

Claude nodded in agreement and they walked forward, around a small hole built in the center of the room, and pushed open the double doors that led further into the palace. Their steps echoed through the underground sanctuary, and soon enough, grunts and feral growls joined the echoes. There was a fight further into the palace.

They crept to a wall and peeped around the corner to the center hallway. Three werewolves were battling against monsters that had spawned in the palace: two green drops of living gel, and a large, animated chess piece modeled after a horse with a particularly deadly horn jutting out of the center of its head.

"What do we do?" Dae whispered. "They're fighting right on the path that goes deeper into the palace.

"If the wolves and the monsters are keeping each other busy, we should be able to slip by," Claude suggested.

A wolf planted its foot squarely into one of the Green Drops, but soon found that he was stuck. The gelatin's face twisted with a malicious grin.

"But...we have to help them!" Niko complained. Terran opened his mouth to deliver an angry reply but Claude beat him to it.

"Are you crazy? If we help the wolves take out the monsters, they'll turn around and take **us** out!"

"Whatever we're going to do, we need to do it now while they're still fighting!" Dae said hurriedly. Claude took a deep breath and threw himself into the hallway, pressing against the wall to avoid getting caught in the battle. The wolves noticed him instantly, but never dropped their guard. The opponents they were facing were dangerous enough.

Claude beckoned for his comrades and they followed his example. They quickly passed the fray, though Niko lagged, and they followed a trail of melting snow down the hallway and up the stairs to the next floor of the palace...

* * *

The group of Chosen continued their trek through the palace. Since this particular room seemed free of both monsters and werewolf guardians, each of the four had their own issues running through their thoughts at the moment. Claude was trying to figure out how Terran's fear of wolves would compare with his enthusiasm to defend his home, especially if they were all going to put their lives on the line. He also hadn't forgotten about Niko's reluctance to battle his former "family". Claude was feeling the pressure, he felt that he should be trying to help his allies deal with their issues, but he wasn't sure how. Dae was in a similar situation. She was trying to figure out the best plan to defeat a few dozen werewolves when a swarm of monsters happened to be invading. Niko was still struggling with needing to fight the members of his former pack, trying to fit in with this group of humans, and finding out what had happened to him in the woods. Even though the current situation with the wolves was very slowly dawning upon him, he already realized that, unlike the wolves, Niko couldn't fool himself into thinking that he and the 3 humans were alike. 

Of the four allies, Terran was going through the most emotional turmoil. He was torn between feelings of anger and frustration. The wolves had invaded his home and imprisoned his family when he hadn't even been there to protect them. With a bitter recollection of his own fears, he realized that if he HAD remained in Gaia's Navel, he would most likely be hiding with the dwarves, huddling in the shadows. The irony of his situation wasn't lost on him.

As they passed through the room, the sounds of the battle on the previous floor died down as they walked away from the stairs. Dae took the lead at the next doorway. She tried to peek around the corner while she nocked another arrow. She saw a huge room, but it appeared to be completely empty. She lowered the bow. "This doesn't make any sense. We should have at least run into another wolf patrol by now, and certainly a few more monsters," Dae said with a grimace.

"Don't tell me that you're looking for a fight now Dae." Claude said as he stepped over what looked like a broken switch. The floor here looked like it had been filled in with rubble, a fact that Claude didn't have time to think about right now.

"Hey, I don't think any of us are looking for a fight. We just need to get to the Earth Seed and protect it… right?" Terran was lagging behind the group, though not so far as to be vulnerable to attack from a lurking wolf.

Niko said nothing to Terran, but kept walking forward and was the first to catch up to Dae. They looked at the open room together. "No… wait. Dae is right. If the pack had set up guards to keep intruders away, they definitely would have used this room."

Claude and Terran finally caught up to Dae and looked around. It was huge, with plenty of cover. The same rubble that had filled up the hole in the previous room was scattered around this floor, some it large enough to hide a full sized werewolf. The room continued around a corner for some distance, but there was no indication of anyone being in the area at all.

The four of them met near the entrance of the room and started walked forward together without really planning it. Niko took the lead, Claude and Dae stood just behind him, and Terran stayed in the rear, constantly looking over his shoulder. "Hey, guys, is everyone doing all right?" Terran's voice was a harsh whisper. For some reason, the room was just creepy and demanded whispering. Nobody responded, and this didn't ease Terran's tension at all.

Niko raised his hand and halted the group. He sniffed the air and stiffed slightly. Claude sniffed the air himself. "What are you doing?" he whispered. "I don't smell anything." Niko pointed ahead "Wet dog," he whispered back. Claude nodded and drew his sword. Dae and Terran follow suite by withdrawing their own weapons.

Now that the group was further into the room, they could see a flickering light coming from somewhere around the corner ahead of them. Niko stayed in the lead, though his movement slowed somewhat. Each readied their weapon as they prepared to turn the corner.

Dae was the first one out, using her range to remain as close to the far wall as possible. She had her arrow pulled back and ready to fly, Claude and Terran came out from behind the wall at the same time, ready to attack, though Terran a bit less enthused about it. Niko didn't advance with the others. He simply sniffed the air again and turned around.

Though the other three Chosen ones rounded the corner fully prepared to attack, what they saw made them pause for a moment. Rather than a group of angry wolves, there was just one figure covered by blankets warming himself by a fire. Granted, he was quite large, but he didn't rise at the approach and didn't seem to create a threat.

Dae tightened her grip on the bow and pulled her arrow back a bit father, but Claude and Terran relaxed a bit. Terran lowered his weapon and took a few steps away from the group. "Sir? What are you doing here? Are you injured?"

Niko suddenly turned back to face everyone. "No, wait! It's a trap- gah!" Just as he finished his warning a sharp kick caught him in his side and a punch to his back pushed him forward. He slammed into Claude and the two of them were pushed directly into a large stone pillar. It collapsed on top of them, and the two of them went down in a pile of rubble. Talek, the impressively large wolf from Niko's pack, stood a few feet from where Niko shouted out his warning. "Hello Pup."

Terran had a look of extreme fear on his face. He had turned back when Niko shouted, and now he slowly turned to face the figure covered in blankets. It rose, turned, and removed the blankets, revealing the face and form of Kaiser. He shook himself off and grinned at the boy in front of him. Though they were about the same height, Terran seemed to shrink in the presence of the wolf and Kaiser towered over him. The wolf took a step toward Terran, who seemed frozen in fear. He smiled as he raised a fist and prepared to slam Terran's body into the ground.

"Terran, down!" Terran heard as a sudden blur of light shot by him and went right into Kaiser's shoulder. He yelped for a second as the force of the arrow knocked him on his back. He shook his head for a moment and tried to refocus his eyes onto the wound. Kaiser examined his shoulder and the arrow that had impaled itself into his flesh. He looked beyond Terran for a moment and saw Dae preparing another arrow.

"Talek, the girl! Get the girl! She's the one with the magic!" Kaiser stood, softly prodded his wounded shoulder, then put his paw on the arrow, preparing to pull it out. He seemed to have temporarily forgotten about the frozen human in front of him.

Talek looked over in Dae's direction. "I see her. This won't take very long," he said as he began walking toward Dae lazily.

Dae quickly changed targets and shot 3 arrows at Talek as rapidly as she could. Talek dodged to the side easily and let them fly past him. She looked at her bow unhappily and put it away. Her hands began to glow with blue and she closed her eyes to concentrate on her spell. Unfortunately, nobody would know what spell she was trying to cast, because this was just the opening Talek was looking for.

Talek dashed forward, moving much quicker than his massive frame would suggest. Dae sensed the approach and held her arms in front of her face preparing for the inevitable attack. The high guard did nothing as Talek drove his shoulder into her stomach and carried her along with him for a few steps. He slammed her into the rear wall, and she let out a scream. He smirked as he lifted her up by her neck and casually tossed her into the air. He caught her in midair and performed a fierce suplex, slamming her into the ground face first. He stood, a disgustingly satisfied grin on his face.

Meanwhile, Niko and Claude managed to recover themselves from the rubble. Claude was the first to rise, just in time to see Dae being slammed into the floor. He charged at Talek, his sword drawn. Niko stood a few seconds later, holding his head with one hand and steadying himself against the tower of rubble.

Claude brought his sword down where Talek was standing, then quickly slashed horizontally across his chest. Talek dodged the first slice, but tried to deflect the second with his claws. The sword crashed painfully into Talek's hand. It was obvious that he didn't consider Claude or his weak sword much of a threat, but his injured hand told him otherwise. "That's a pretty sword human. I think I'll use it to kill your friends after I remove your arm."

Claude didn't say a word, but brought his sword at the ready again and the two of them circled each other, Claude giving an occasional glance at Dae's fallen body.

At the other end of the room, Terran was still nearly frozen with fear, daring only to back up a few more steps. Kaiser was apparently more concerned with his arrow wound then the human in front of him. He finally removed the arrow with a howl, and turned his attention back to Terran. He gave another sadistic smile and lifted his hand to finally complete the attack that Dae had interrupted. Terran gave out a little cry and dove to the side. His fist crashed down into the ground and Kaiser looked to the side at Terran, who at last held his spear at the ready.

"I… I'm not afraid of you. I'm not!" Terran was almost visibly shaking, but to his credit, the hand that held his spear was steady.

Kaiser began laughing at him. "Oh, I believe you human. You are just the image of bravery. Now come here so I can pound your face into the ground." He kept on laughing as he moved in on him with a charging elbow.

Terran spun to the side and hit his back with the wooden end of his spear. Then he moved low and spun again with his spear to trip Kaiser, making him land flat on his back. Terran looked shocked at what he had done. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It was an accident!"

Kaiser stood up with a murderous look and gave a low growl. "I am going to kill you as slowly and as painfully as I can." This was not said as a threat or a promise, but as a statement of fact.

Terran whimpered quietly as Kaiser raised his fists in a boxer like stance and threw a few practice punches before he attacked again. Kaiser dashed toward the human and gave a spinning back kick, followed by a high flying roundhouse. Terran dodged both, as he knew he would, and Kaiser landed and aimed exactly where Terran had moved to. He gave a quick elbow to Terran's midsection, a right cross to his face, and finally a turning roundhouse that knocked him against a wall. Terran fell to the ground with a thud.

He looked up just in time to see Kaiser's knee descending on him from high above. With just an instant before it would hit his chest, he rolled to the side. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to look where he was rolling and he ended right next to Talek's feet.

The massive wolf was still in mid-battle with Claude. Talek took a moment from the fight to glare down at Terran. Terran eyes were huge as the wolf lifted his foot to stomp on his face. He heard Claude call out his name in concern, and once again, Terran was forced to dodge the attack to try to regain some sense of control. He rolled to the side and attempted to stand. Terran could see that Niko was still off to the side, recovering from the impact and didn't seem excited to join the fray.

Terran leaned against his spear as he rose to his feet. Though his face revealed a sense of fear, he held his weapon high and actually moved toward Kaiser. For Terran, this was a major accomplishment. A little voice inside his head screamed at him to turn around, but he kept approaching the powerful wolf. "It's not so bad… it's like a big puppy. I'm sure it's actually very friendly. Yeah. He's smaller than the other one at least. I can do this… I can." Kaiser and the spear wielding human made eye contact and Terran immediately whimpered again. Kaiser ran in at him once again with a single sharp punch to his gut, and began to pummel him with focused powerful jabs, crosses, uppercuts; now intent on simply destroying him. Terran countered where he could, spinning his spear, deflecting punches, and jabbing or swiping with his spear as he saw an opening.

Terran's interruption had done nothing to help Claude. Talek used Claude's momentary concern for his ally to move in. He powered right through Claude's slashes leaving a deep cut on his bicep, but it was worth it, because he managed to hold Claude in a bear hug and began crushing him. Claude screamed in pain, and this was all the inspiration Niko needed to join the fray. He had been recovering from the nasty impact with the rubble, but he wasn't going to leave his new allies alone, and he ran to help Claude, even though he was apprehensive about fighting his former pack.

"Get off of him!" He leapt and delivered a turning side kick to Talek's face. Talek had just turned his head to look over at the leaping vulpine. As he hit him, he remembered his first fight. It had also been with Talek, the first time he felt that he was a real member of the pack. Now that it was more real, Niko didn't like fighting them, but his human friends were chosen by the spirits of mana to defend the seeds, while his wolf pack was imprisoning innocents and attacking his new allies. Despite whatever excuses they made, the wolves had to be stopped.

Talek's grapple was broken and Claude fell out of his grasp onto the floor. He choked for breath for a second, but he waved off Niko's attempt to help him up. He coughed twice, then rose to his feet, nodded at Niko and turned back to face his attacker.

Talek had fallen on his side but, slowly, he rose to one knee. He spit the blood and the tooth that had been knocked loose out the side of his mouth. "You!" He said with an accusing look at the fox. "I thought you would be smart enough to stay down, Pup! I was looking forward to crushing every bone in your body when I was done with your friends. But since you seem to be in a rush to die, so be it!"

Niko lowered his arms. "Talek, I don't understand. You all just left… Kaiser wouldn't tell me." Niko lowered his head slightly and raised his eyes to Talek. "What happened in the woods… why did you all leave? Were we attacked?"

Talek seemed stunned. "Are you serious? You… you still think the pack…" Despite himself, Talek began to laugh. "By the tree, you ARE a fool!"

Niko finally showed the slightest glimpse of frustration, "Talek, stop laughing! I have every right to know!"

Talek stopped laughing suddenly and straightened up. "If you are so desperate for answers, little puppy, I'll give them to you. Well, I'll give you one at least. You are not any part of what I call a pack. You're nothing, less than nothing! You're worse than the humans! You are pathetic!"

Niko looked confused, "What are you trying to say?"

Talek sneered, "You are impossible! Enough of this! I'm going to grind you into dust, and then your delusions and search for answers won't matter!"

Niko suddenly perked up, "A fight to decide if I get answers? That sounds like a good idea to me!"

"No, you idiot!" but Talek's cry came out too late. Niko ran at him, delivering a quick series of punches to Talek's midsection and following it with an uppercut. Talek crumpled to the ground, the wind knocked out of his lungs. The entire time Niko had a huge smile on his face, thinking he would finally learn what had happened.

Claude watched the whole exchange with half amusement and half shock. Once the attack began, he moved toward Talek as well. He didn't know if Niko had simply caught the wolf off guard or if Niko's enthusiasm had strengthened his attacks, but Talek was down. Unfortunately, it didn't last long and the wolf rose quicker than Claude expected. He returned Niko's blow with a sharp uppercut that caught the still smiling fox off balance and knocked him to the side. Niko recovered with a jolt in midair and landed on his feet, looking back toward the massive wolf. He wasn't smiling anymore.

Talek ducked under Claude's slash and slid left to avoid the follow-up slash. Rather than push his advantage, he simply changed his stance and took a deep breath. He didn't move a muscle, just stood there. If this was all the wolf was going to do, then Claude would take full advantage. He brought his sword down directly onto Talek's skull.

Talek timed his counterattack perfectly, he moved to the side slightly and allowed the blade to glance against his claws. The pain was worth it, as Claude was thrown off balance and the tip of the sword dug itself into the ground. "What?" Claude struggled to get back into a strong position. With a grin, Talek lifted one massive leg and shoved his heel into Claude's midsection. He fell to the ground, pinned under the weight of the wolf. Talek slashed his claws across Claude's chest and he screamed in pain. Talek kept on slashing, grinning more and more then he had in a long time. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Niko moving toward him again. His last slash moved from his abdomen to his neck and shoved the unmoving body of the swordsman in the direction of Terran and Kaiser. Talek suddenly turned back to block a leaping kick from Niko and their fight continued.

Terran was still fighting Kaiser, who was ruthless in his aggressions. He seemed to forget that he knew any attack beyond a simple punch, but his fists moved so fast and so forcefully that it was all Terran could do to dodge the attacks. True, he managed to land a few attacks when Kaiser gave a reckless punch or two, but Terran was definitely worse for wear. He only barely managed to look over at Claude when his final scream sounded and he saw Claude moving right toward his legs.

Terran managed to move to the side, completely avoiding the dazed warrior, but Claude did slam into Kaiser's legs. The bulky wolf tripped and he fell backwards into the wall. Terran took the chance to help Claude to his feet. He was in definite pain and his shirt was shredded in many places, but he was still alive and able to fight. The two of them ran to join Niko in attacking Talek on the other side of the room.

Talek looked grim as he saw the two humans moving towards him. He blocked another of Niko's attacks, then leapt in the air toward the two of them, performing a Cylone Kick. The kick separated Terran and Claude, knocking them to either side of the room. Claude was shocked as Talek retreated and moved toward Kaiser. He didn't seem to be the type to retreat from any sort of a fight.

Talek stood by as Kaiser struggled to his feet without offering to help in the least. "Moron, you let them regroup."

"Me? You're the one who sent the human right at my feet!" Kaiser had snapped out of his rage, but not at all happy at having been interrupted.

"It's not my fault you can't dodge to save your hide! By the way, what did you say to the pup? He's lost what little mind he had." Kaiser actually chuckled a little at this and the two wolves entered a stance facing the now standing humans and vulpine.

Now the two forces had gathered on opposite sides of the room, Kaiser and Talek on one side and Claude, Terran, and Niko on the other with Dae lying on the ground behind the three heroes. Claude looked over at each of his three companion. Dae was still breathing, and it seemed steadier than it had been. Niko seemed almost excited about the fight and was smiling again. Terran was out of breath, but doing much better than Claude would have thought. As for Claude himself… he could barely stand. The larger wolf's attack had taken more out of him than he would care to admit. Suddenly, a large drop of water appeared over his head and fell on him. Claude didn't feel any sensation of wetness, but instead felt refreshed. His wounds weren't gone, but they no longer hurt. He looked at both of his allies. "Where did that come from?"

Niko shrugged and Terran's eyes were locked onto the two wolves, but he shook his head almost violently. Claude hopefully turned back to look at Dae. She was still lying on the ground, comatose.

Talek growled at Kaiser, "I thought you said the girl was the only one with magic!"

Kaiser narrowed his eyes, "I don't understand. The others don't have magic, they would have used it already."

"You gave them a chance to concentrate when you let them gang up on me." Talek growled again. "Now pay attention…" his voice lowered and the heroes could no longer hear what they were saying.

Claude found himself relaxing for a moment, thankful but still questioning the unexpected aid. "Is everyone all right?" he asked.

Niko brushed himself off, "I'm great. I really want to find out what's going on here, so let's finish this soon."

Claude nodded. "Terran? How are you holding up?"

Terran looked straight ahead without blinking, the stress apparently getting to him, "I'VE BEEN BETTER! I mean… I'm okay. I'm… coping with this. Let's just do what Niko said and end this quickly… please!"

Claude turned back to the wolves who were still strategizing quietly together. "Anything you can tell us about these two Niko? They are from your old pack, aren't they?"

Niko's gaze returned to the wolves and didn't waver once. He pointed at the larger wolf. "The big red one's Talek. He's incredibly strong…" He stopped in mid-sentence, casting a gaze at the hulking form of the aforementioned wolf. "Well… obviously. Don't let him get close to you, wrestling is his specialty and he won't let go if he gets his claws on you."

He looked to the shorter, brown-furred wolf. "You already know Kaiser. He's small but he's also very strong. He's well trained… but when he gets angry, he just starts brawling. He can go toe-to-toe with the strongest fighters and win, it's like he hardly feels pain."

Talek growled and pointed at Niko, "Hey, shut up runt! I'm going to break you in half!"

Kaiser began walking forward, "We'll finish what we started in the forest if you keep spreading our secrets Pup!" Niko started to say something, but before he could, a loud cracking noise interrupted them.

Unfortunately in the noise of the battle, neither of the two groups had noticed a very important detail. The fight had consistently damaged the same section of wall. A crack that nobody had noticed was becoming bigger and thicker. It spread along the wall and an entire section split off and fell away, revealing an inky blackness.

All eyes were suddenly turned toward the darkness as a disgusting sound emerged, like someone had squished dozens of rotten grapes at once. A green ooze began to drip out of the crack until it poured like a flood. More sections of the wall split away and the larger pieces fell to the floor crushing the slime under it.

A loud thump broke the silence and 3 chess knights almost as tall as Talek jumped out of the hole in the wall, knocking down more stones and covering the slime even further. They glared at the various figures in the room. Though their faces were made of stone and did not change, they seemed upset at the intrusion into the palace. Two of them headed toward the wolves and the other for the Chosen.

This had all happened in the blink of an eye and the three fighters were caught off guard. The chess knight tried to run Terran right through his heart with its large imposing horn, but Terran twisted at the last moment. The razor sharp horn had missed his chest, but it did leave a deep gash in his arm. The horn did not touch any of the rest of his body, but that didn't mean that the impact with the charging, giant stone head didn't hurt. Terran was down on the floor, and was not getting up any time soon.

Claude and Niko didn't waste any time. Claude struck with his blade as hard and as fast as he could while Niko delivered a few combos of his own. Unfortunately, neither the sword nor the fists found any sort of a weak spot in the stone statue. The statue jumped in midair and spun around, throwing them both away from it and onto the ground. It looked left and right, somehow gave out a whinny even though its mouth did not open, and leapt in the air. It was trying to crush Niko's head and it almost succeeded. Niko barely managed to roll out of the way before its huge stone pedestal fell on the ground. A sharp crack sounded across the room and the chess knight wobbled on its stand.

To everyone's surprise, Terran was on his feet and more surprising, he had taken the offensive. "Hah, no more wolves." He spun his weapon as he pulled the spear back to his body and prepared himself for the inevitable attack. The chess knight turned his attention to Terran, one stone eye now cracked due to the sharp point of the spear, the jagged line continuing down its cheek. It snorted and went for another ramming attack. Terran jumped to the side and swiped his spear at the base of the Chess Knight. It lost its balance and fell on its face. Terran ran back and rejoined the others, spinning his spear again. It was obvious to everyone that he was thrilled to take a breather from fighting the werewolves. Both Claude and Niko rose to their feet.

The Chess Knight neighed on the floor and began rolling around. Somehow, it righted itself and faced the three warriors. A light sparkled around it and a silver trickle ran along the crack that Terran had made in its face. It jumped in place, jumping and landing quicker than it should. It was as if time was flowing faster around it. It charged at the trio, flying more than jumping, but just before it hit them, Claude screamed "Now!" and the three of them struck as one. Niko delivering a sharp kick under its chin, Claude hacking at the right side of his neck, and Terran jabbing hard at its left side. These three attacks did what none of their singular attacks could. The stone neck cracked all the way around and the Knight's head simply broke off. That threat eliminated, the three turned back to the larger danger.

The wolves were still fighting off the two Chess Knights and doing a better job than the heroes had. Talek had lifted one of the knights over his head, as improbable as that sounds. He brought its neck down on his knee and a large crack appeared in his neck. The heroes looked over just in time to see Kaiser dash toward the other Knight. His arms moved so quickly, it was difficult to see, but the wolf seemed to deliver half a dozen jabs in a second. After the last jab, his hand glowed green and he dove forward to deliver a hard right cross directly to the nose of the stone knight. The knight was thrown against a wall, but turned its head and was quickly headed back toward the wolf.

Though this display was enough to distract the Chosen for a moment, another concern quickly presented itself. The ground began shaking and the stones on the floor started to rattle together. "An earthquake?" Claude asked as he held onto one of the large piles of rubble.

"I don't think so," Terran explained, "I've lived here all my life and I've gotten used to the earthquakes that happen around here. This doesn't feel right."

Suddenly the trembling stopped and a disgusting green slime began to seep up through the stones. It flowed together into a rough sphere and suddenly open up eyes and a smiling mouth before crawling toward the heroes. It moved slowly enough for the heroes to see the green ooze continue to grow from the ground and make at least another dozen of the creatures.

Niko pointed at the first blob that formed. "Hah! Those things look funny!" He crouched down next to it and poked it. "Squishy, hehe…"

Claude called out, "Wait, get back, we don't know what those… things do!"

The smile on the blob turned into a frown and it jumped onto Niko's chest. "Gah! Get it off of me! Get it off!"

Terran took his spear and stabbed it into the center of the thing. He lifted the spear and it came off of Niko's chest with a SCHLUUUUUCK. He swung the spear back toward the army of green drops and the disgusting creature slid off the metal tip and bounced into the growing numbers of slime.

Niko touched the fur on his chest. It was all sticky and slimy with the green ooze of the creatures. He sniffed the air near his chest, "Ugh! Those things smell awful! Get them out of here!"

Terran smelled the air as well. "I don't really smell anything. It smells like we're underground, but it's not that bad."

Niko pointed over to the two wolves. The Chess Knight that Talek had fought was on its side, a deep crack running through the center of it, and the two wolves were now double-teaming the other one. Talek turned his head toward the crowd of slimeballs and covered his nose with one paw. "What is that repulsive stench?"

"I – ugh – don't know!" Kaiser was struggling with holding the chess knight in place. "That witch stuffed up my nose with her blasted ice! Pay attention, I can't…"

The knight spun in place and both the werewolves flew off the side. It looked around and suddenly ran across the room, stomping half a dozen slimes in the process. The slimes didn't seem happy and let out a much worse stench than before, but they sprung back up to full form almost as soon as it jumped away. Terran and Niko were far enough away that they could simply move out of the path of the charging statue, but Claude wasn't so fortunate. He rolled to the side and the knight skidded to a halt. Claude stood up and readied his sword.

He glanced back at his friends, hoping for some support against the knight, but the slimes had not stopped forming. A wall of them was approaching the two wolves as well, but waves and waves of the green ooze were piling up around Niko and Terran. Niko was holding his nose with one paw, but using his other fist and both feet to knock them away, and Terran was sweeping his spear across the entire field of them. They were successful in stopping their approach so far, but sheer numbers were going to overwhelm them soon. None of them would be able to help, he was on his own.

Even though its face was made of stone, Claude thought the wild knight seemed happy to have him all to himself. Fortunately the stone ponies only had one trick and Claude successfully evaded its first charge. It kept going into the field of slime, then quickly turned around and charged again. A few of the sticky green drops clung onto it as it had turned around, but if the chess knight had noticed, it didn't seem to mind. The chess knight raced back toward Claude, he jumped to the side, again easily evading the horn. "You know, these things aren't so tough. All they can really do is hop at me." Claude said as the knight bounced away harmlessly. He felt a bit like a matador.

Terran swung his spear back and forth across the still growing pile of slime. "Great, I'm so glad you're happy with your thing-that's-trying-to-kill-you. Our thing is really annoying."

"MMMPH-MMM!" Niko said. His mouth was still covering his hand, but it sounded like a grunt of agreement to Claude.

If the knight understood what Claude was saying, he didn't appreciate the taunt, because he suddenly jumped in the air and glowed, just as the previous one had. Its eyed shone silver for a moment, then it dashed across the ground, moving faster than stone had a right to. Claude was prepared to dodge once again, but it stopped suddenly before it got within ramming distance. Claude was confused for a second, but then he saw two of the green drops that had attached to it fly off of the stone horse and right at Claude's face. The momentum the knight built up had turned the ooze into a living bullet.

He ducked under the first, but raised his sword and let the slime split itself in half as it flew over his head. The weight of the slime against his sword arm was greater than he anticipated and it threw his balance off enough that he couldn't avoid the second slime. It engulfed his entire right arm, all the way up to his shoulder. It felt heavy and wet and impossible to bend. The eyes and mouth of the slime rolled around so that it was facing Claude's face and gave a deep sinister smile at him. The eyes looked behind Claude where the fallen pieces of the first slime lay. To Claude's disgust, the 2 half slimes began wobbling and with a spurt, each became a full-grown slime again. These 2 smiling blobs joined their brother, one wrapping on Claude's leg, the other around his midsection. They began squeezing and Claude found it hard to breathe. He fell backward, as if the slime was pulling him down to the ground, and they began pulling him over to the crowd of slimes.

The knight meanwhile, was hopping along behind them. It seemed to prepare itself for a moment, then leapt in the air, aiming its landing right at Claude's head. Claude's eyes widened as the base got closer, but he used his free arm and leg to shove his body out of the way of the stomping pedestal.

Niko and Terran saw what was happening from across the room, but had no way to get at him. Then Niko had a sudden thought. "Mmmph mrr," he said. Mmmph mrr mrrrks mrr rrrmm." He accompanied his mumblings with a series of frantic arm motions and fortunately Terran seemed to understand. He nodded and took several more swings with the spear to clear a running area. The vulpine backed up and ran directly toward the last chess knight. Before he would run into the crowd of ooze, he jumped, and Terran held out the back of his spear to him. Terran used every muscle in his body to propel the foxman right at the head of the horse.

At that moment, it was still looking down at Claude who was now almost completely engulfed in the green drops. It gave one last mighty leap that Claude would never be able to dodge. Before it could land, Niko's flying kick pushed the massive stone knight into the crowd of slimes. It landed on its side with a thud, and the slimes took no time in completely surrounding and engulfing the stone chess piece.

Niko landed less than gracefully on his tail, satisfied with the attack. He tried to stand, but he felt a shooting pain up his leg starting from where his paw had kicked the stone. He shook his leg for a moment and walked softly over to Claude and tried to pull him out of the slimes, but they were not letting go easily.

"MMMPH MMMRR!" Niko screamed at the slimes.

Claude looked behind him and was suddenly in a state of panic. "No, wait! Look!" He pointed at the far corner of the room, the slimes had begun to take over every square inch of the room, and a particularly large amount of them were rolling, hopping, and squirming their way over to where Dae's unconscious body lay.

"MMMMRRRR!" He got up to try to reach her, but the slimes had begun to latch onto him as well and started to drag him into the crowd of green drops. Terran was just managing to keep the slime at bay, but it wouldn't be long before he would simply tire. The two wolves were still managing to hold their own, but now the slime was overwhelming them and they had no weapon to help keep them away like Terran had.

The last warrior standing looked around the room. "Claude! Niko!" He swung as much as he could, but there was no way he could reach any of his comrades. Terran was about to give in to despair and his swinging slowed.

Suddenly, there was a great crack resounding through the air and a cold wind swept through the entire room. Huge chunks of ice appeared in the air and showered down onto the green mass of ooze. Some ice chunks shattered against the slime, some were absorbed into the green slime, but the effect was the same, whenever a chunk of ice hit, the green slimes stopped moving and changed from green to blue. Like a virus, the blue color spread through the crowd until they were all motionless. "Is everyone okay?" a female voice groaned from the back of the room. Terran looked over to see Dae's eyes open, looking back at the scene. Her entire body, save her face, was covered in the motionless slimes.

"Dae! Are you okay? What happened?" Terran yelled out, still nervous about the dozens of green drops surrounding him.

"It's okay, and I'm okay. They're frozen. All of them I think. I think that the cold spread to every other slime they were touching, like a chain reaction."

"So… we won?" Terran looked thrilled.

"MMMMMPH!" Niko yelled out. His hand was no longer covering his mouth, but part of the slime had hardened around his muzzle so that he could not open his jaw.

"Terran! Hit that slime ball with your spear!" Claude only had his face exposed to the air. The rest of his body was completely surrounded by the frozen drops.

"Which one?" He looked around the room at the dozens of frozen smiling balls of goo.

"Just choose one!"

Terran walked over to the wall of slime and tapped the closest one with the metal tip of his spear. A small crack formed that grew and grew and spread to every other slime in the room. The frozen slimes cracked and collapsed, leaving nothing a fine blue-green dust. The slime surrounding Claude, Niko, and Dae fell apart and they could move again.

Claude and Niko stood up. Lying near them was the last chess knight that had fallen into the slime. The stone seemed partially melted, like it had been exposed to acid, and it was definitely no longer moving.

Dae, however, could only lean up and hold her head. Her three companions went over to her. Claude helped her to her feet. "Dae? Are you all right?"

Dae rubbed her head a little. "I have a bad headache, but I'll live."

Niko seemed thrilled that Dae was talking and standing. "We thought you were dead!"

"I nearly was. Just before I passed out from that… wolf thug's attack, I used water magic to try to heal myself. The Cure Water spell was enough to keep me conscious, even though it hurt to move."

Claude looked satisfied and a little smug, "So if was you who healed me."

Dae nodded, "And Terran too, after the knight knocked him out."

Terran seemed surprised at this, "What? Me too? How didn't I notice?"

"You were almost passed out from the pain." Dae smiled, "How did you think you were able to recover so quickly?"

Terran looked at his arm that had been gored by the chess knight. "I just thought I was really awesome…"

"Grah!" A noise came from the back of the room. The rest of the slime had finally crumbled to pieces, freeing the two wolves. They stood up with a growl, forcibly breaking the frozen slime from around their bodies as they stood.

Terran whimpered, "I was hoping they were gone."

Claude took a few steps toward the wolves. "Talek. Kaiser. We just saved your lives. We need to get to the Earth Seed. We don't want to fight you anymore. Just go."

Kaiser looked up at the human with hatred, "Surrender to a human? Hah. We'll never…WAH-CHOOOO!"

Everyone, even Talek, looked over at Kaiser in confusion. "Great, now the ice witch gave me a cold."

Talek took over for his packmate, "We'll kill you all before we ever let you pass."

Niko stood between the two of them. "What is your problem? I don't understand! Friki wouldn't want you treating a member of the pack this way! Just let us go through!"

Talek put his hands in the air, "Gods, you really are a simple fool, aren't you! You are not part of the pack! You never were! We used you until you forgot your place, then we taught you a lesson. We all enjoyed that, didn't we?"

Kaiser grinned and chuckled a little before sneezing again.

Niko had a stone face on. "No. You're lying to me. You're trying to trick me. I know that I was in the pack. I know it!"

Claude tried to hold Niko back with his arm across his chest. "Niko…"

Niko shrugged and moved the arm away. "No! I was new! Everyone was getting used to me! That's all!"

Talek shook his head. "You may have some ability as a fighter, but you are the most dense, annoying kid… I'm glad that you didn't die when we turned on you! It means we get to do it now!"

Niko charged forward "Liar!" He ran over the remains of the knight and the drops. Talek smiled for a second, but the mad fox moved faster than he had seen before. Niko slammed his fist into Talek's stomach. He keeled over and Niko continued with a roundhouse to his face. Talek fell back and hit the floor.

Kaiser turned to him and tried to deliver a punch, but he sneezed in mid punch and his arm moved lower than he had planned. "CHOO! Gah, damn that witch…"

Niko turned back to Kaiser and delivered a powerful uppercut right to his muzzle. Kaiser stumbled back, but stayed on his feet through sheer force of will. He reached forward and grabbed Niko by the shirt. Niko tried to struggle and pull away. "Worthless bug…" he mumbled as he held him up in the air, choking him with his own shirt.

Talek stood up behind him and saw the situation. He smiled, laughed to himself, and crouched slightly. Niko struggled to get loose, but to no avail. Kaiser tossed Niko in the air and Talek leapt up to meet him. He positioned him for what looked like a very painful drop to the floor.

Just after he was maneuvered for the drop, an arrow tore through his leg. "Yaagh!" Talek screamed with pain and loosened his grasp on Niko. Dae was standing, still searching for breath, but her bow was out and she was drawing another arrow. Claude and Terran were both moving toward the wolves to rescue their friend. Terran was, naturally a few steps behind.

Both Niko and the huge wolf fell and landed on their feet. Niko turned to face the two of them and leapt backwards to put some distance between them. Talek landed on his feet, but the arrow wound harmed his leg and wouldn't support his weight. He growled softly as he experimented with putting more pressure on it.

Kaiser turned back to the approaching three humans and spit the words "I will not lose to three pitiful humans and a fox pup!"

Talek finally hobbled to his feet. "You will all die…"

Claude, Niko and Terran approached at the same time. They were all exhausted, but Dae had been healing the chosen and their spirits were high while the wolves were losing confidence and injured. They charged forward, each backing the other up, delivering blow after blow. The wolves were slower than usual and it was all they could to simply try to move beyond the blows.

They were far from helpless, and the 3 warriors knew that. They watched every move the two wolves made and were fully prepared to help each other. At once point, Claude attempted a stabbing attack at Kaiser, but he grasped his arm and twisted his leg over it, pressing into his chin. Claude let out a cry as he felt his arm being dislocated, but Niko was watching and leapt in the air and kicked Kaiser's back. He lost his grip and the battle continued.

The wolves were at a disadvantage, but they were too proud to even think of surrendering. They traded opponents over and over, switching back and forth, keeping the wolves off guard. At one point Terran was battling Talek and Talek had a firm hold on the spear in his hands. He smiled and began twisting his arm as Terran's face twisted in fear. In a flash, blue sparkles seemed to appear from nowhere and gathered on the spear before the weapon itself began to glow a soft blue. Talek only held on a second before he pulled his paw back and rubbed it with his other. "What magic is this?"

Terran looked down at his spear as it glowed with a blue energy and cold smoke rose from it. He smiled and remembered the fight with Trydon. He was silently wondering why he didn't feel any pain upon touching it, but it was obvious Talek didn't like it. He looked at the others. Both Claude's sword and Niko's gloves were glowing and smoking as well. Dae lowered her arms and picked up her bow. She shot frozen arrows in the direction of the two wolves and the 3 close combat fighters continued their assault. "The witch again!" Kaiser shouted. "I told you to get rid of her!"

The wolves now flinched at the touch of every weapon, growing slower and slower, getting colder and colder. They eventually backed into a corner and simply shivered. Claude touched the tip of his sword to Kaiser's chest. He gave one last sneeze and then went frozen solid again as a Snowman.

Talek shivered next to Kaiser. "Y-you. Y-you're all weak…"

Niko punched forward at Talek's face. "And you're a liar." The punch was the last straw for Talek and he fell on the floor and was frozen as solid as Talek. He became a snowman as well.

Dae ran up to join the others. "Is everyone all right?"

"We're all fine. They were already weak…" Claude held up his blue sword "I assume this is your doing?"

Dae smiled "Something that I had heard about from Luka. I hadn't had much opportunity to try this before, but I figured that since the wolves had to fight close range, it was the best way to help."

Niko was still facing the frozen wolves. "Yeah… yeah. It helped. We need to find Friki. He must be here. I have to… I have to know the truth."

Claude nodded slowly and sheathed his sword. Terran and Dae followed suit and put their weapons away. Claude patted him on the back and Niko finally turned around. "The Earth Seed must be close. We'll find him." The four friends went to the door and only Niko stopped to look back once more at the frozen wolves.

Everyone of the warriors were exhausted from their battle. They came upon another room, similar to the first room on this floor. This time, Claude noticed unhappily, there was no rubble filling the huge gap, and no switches, broken or otherwise.

Terran gazed across the pit and walked to the edge. He was in much higher spirits with the defeat of the two large wolves. He looked down at the bottom. "Yeah. Yeah, that's definitely a pit."

Claude threw a stone into the chasm and waited for the sound of it reaching the bottom. Sadly, that sound never came. "Any ideas?"

Niko stood next to Terran and then backed up a few steps. "I think I can jump it. There might be some way to help you all get across on the other side." He started running toward the pit, but Terran stood in front of him and yelled "Wait!"

Niko stopped just in front of him, barely avoiding pushing both of them into the pit. "Why?"

Claude listened for a moment and a clunk finally signaled the rock hitting the bottom. "That was the bottom of the hole. If you don't make across, you'll never get back out again. You're too valuable to risk your life like that."

"And you'll never find out the truth from Friki," Dae added.

"Well, I thought it was a good idea… what do you think we should do?" Niko seemed disappointed that he wouldn't be the one to help everyone, but he saw the wisdom in their words.

Claude stepped over to the pit, "I don't know, I really don't have any ideas. Maybe if we…."

Dae was behind the others, still a bit shaken from her assault by Talek and unwilling to argue with anyone right now. "Do not worry, Chosen Ones," a sudden familiar voice called out from behind her. She turned quickly, "Undine!"

"Hello again Dae Ripple," the water elemental said as she smiled. She was hovering in midair surrounded by a thin aura of water.

"Wow…" Terran whispered. This was the first time he had ever seen an elemental. Niko smiled back at the hovering blue spirit, "Hi there!"

"Undine, can you help us across this pit?" Claude asked, gesturing across the chasm.

Undine shook her head while still smiling, "Not directly, no. But one of you does." Her gaze fell to Dae.

Dae looked up incredulously, "Me? Well… I guess I could fire an arrow across… if I had some rope, we could make a simple bridge."

"No, something far more useful than a simple arrow." Undine shimmered in the air and the blue color that surrounded her began to fade slightly. "Dae, I don't have the power to speak for long, so I must be brief. Up until now, you have only used your powers in the form of magic spells. This is how previous holders of magic have always used it. But, since we elementals have… bent the rules and chosen someone to represent our abilities, you have access to more than just our spells."

The entire group was listening intently, Dae most of all. She knew the chance to speak to the elemental spirits was very rare, even if she was specifically picked by her for this task. "Dae, as my Chosen Warrior of Water, you have the ability to influence and control the water around you and make it act as you choose. Combine my strength with your will. The Earth Seed is almost within your grasp." Undine slowly faded as she finished her sentence. Dae whispered, "Undine…" as the last trace of mist faded from view.

"Did that make sense to you Dae?" Claude looked over at her, she seemed somehow strengthened.

Dae raised her hand and gestured toward the chasm. Her hand glowed with blue energy as she raised it and drips of water seemed to seep from the very walls until a bridge made of water spanned the entire pit. She waved her free hand, which also flashed with blue energy, and suddenly the water bridge became an ice bridge.

"Okay, that was impressive," Terran said quietly. The others just watched as Dae lowered her arm and gave a wide smile to the rest of the group.

"Are you coming?" she asked. Dae was the first to cross, leading the way for the others. Claude was next to follow, and Niko and Terran brought up the rear. Once they reached the other side, the three of them felt a slight twinge of energy, Terran most of all. They could each sense something ahead, and not one of them doubted that it was the earth seed. They were so close, they just needed to reach out and grab it. Together, the Chosen walked up the stairs onto the next floor.


	14. CH 12: Hour of the Wolf

It's been awhile, but here is chapter 12. Besides wrapping up the events started in chapter 11, it is written entirely by Nikovich. It's also long. Very long, and full of action.

* * *

**Chapter 12: Hour of the Wolf**

_by Nikovich_

"So that's it then?"

Friki broadened his shoulders and took in his surroundings. He had never really heard much about the Mana seeds before this, but he was the leader, and it was his job to know what he was doing, even if he really didn't.

He answered bluntly, "It is…"f

Either way, the large ornamental torches, the extravagant pedestal, the glow emitting from it; it couldn't have been anything else. He made no advances however, and Geri could read the contemplation on his face.

"Do you think that we are taking the proper path?" Geri cocked his head, hoping to pick up more visual cues. He knew Friki's true answer wouldn't come verbally.

Friki took a deep breath, keeping his eyes forward, as if hypnotized by the seed's glow. "For the past ten years, all I've been concerned with was the preservation of our kind. You were there Geri, you knew how bad it got. We fought beasts and we fought humans. To them, we were all the same. And now it's happening again. We are but a single pack, and a small one at that. But if the witch is capable of what she promised... perhaps we demand more. Maybe even our own territory, for more of us. If this is what we have to do, so be it."

* * *

The four young warriors hurried up the narrow staircase, pushing through its doorway and pouring out into the antechamber of the palace's heart. The room was poorly lit, but it was still clearly empty. Dae scanned the room quickly and moved ahead. "Come on! It's just up this next staircase! I can feel the seed's power. I don't think they've taken it yet!"

Terran panted as he approached the next staircase. "I don't remember there being this much stairs…" He stopped and turned back to the party. "Gnome would tell us if they had the seed by now, wouldn't he?"

Claude read the worry on Terran's face like an open book. "You're afraid of what they could do with the power of the seed?"

Dae stepped up ahead of everyone once more. "No, I don't think they would be able to utilize the seed's magic properly. But we should still hurry before they try!"

As they neared the top of the staircase, they caught the silhouetted figures of two wolves, one of an atypically thin build, the other freakishly tall. Apparently, the final two werewolves had stopped to prematurely bask in their victory. Claude held his arm in front of the entrance, stopping everyone from continuing. He turned back and whispered as quietly as he could manage, for he knew wolves had good hearing. "If we're quiet, we could take them by surprise. Spread out and attack when I give the word."

They filed out into the room, dispersing as they inched along. They took extra care not to pass in front of the fires and cast their shadows across the room. Slowly, they made their way toward the unsuspecting werewolves.

* * *

Geri turned his head slightly when he caught Friki's muzzle twitch out of the corner of his eye. "You smell it too?"

Friki nodded. "It couldn't be…"

The two turned slowly and deliberately, catching the four warriors in their approach. Claude straightened up, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Well, it looks like we can scratch that idea."

Friki crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "It is… I can't say I expected to see you here, especially with humans. Did you bring them for revenge?" Friki tightened up and his smile faded. "You're here… where is the rest of my pack?"

Claude stepped forward and stuck the point of his sword into a crack between the rocks, leaning on the hilt. "They're still alive, if that's what you're asking."

Friki exhaled and stared at the ground for a short moment before turning his gaze back to the four youths. "So why are you here then?"

Terran uncharacteristically stepped forward and shouted defiantly, "We're here to stop you from taking the Mana seed!"

The two wolves quickly turned their heads to Terran, Friki letting out a low growl and Geri curling his lip. Terran shrank back behind his three comrades, turning several shades paler.

Dae attempted to take hold of the situation. After all the fighting that occurred today, a non-violent solution would have been best for everyone. She lowered her bow as not to threaten the wolves as she slowly made her way forward. "You can't take a Mana Seed from its shrine, the consequences are too great! Everything here, all of Gaia's Navel will become a barren wasteland! The Mana seed's of no use to you anyway!

Friki cocked his head and appeared unmoved. "That's an unfortunate chain of events indeed. It's also unfortunate that these are the measures I'm forced to take in order to protect the well-being of my pack, and many packs after this. When we bring the seed back to the witch, it won't only be for us, but all of our people." Friki smiled and clenched his fist. "We'll be the saviors our kind."

Terran peeked out from behind his companions and spoke in a low whisper, "Did that sound crazy to anyone else?"

Friki's ears twitched and his expression gnarled. He roared at Terran in response, "SILENCE, you quivering whelp!"

Terran squeaked as he ducked back behind Claude and Niko, forgetting about the wolves' keen auditory senses. Claude jumped as Terran bolted behind him, but then turned his head back to the wolves. "Wait… the witch? So that was the business you had at the castle? Whatever deal you made with the witch, it's already finished! We just came from there, she won't go through with it."

Friki scoffed and crooked his neck, producing an audible crack. "Hah! She'll go through with it, whether she wants to or not. The best thing for all of you now is to stand aside."

Claude tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword and shook his head. "We won't let you take the Mana Seed."

Dae stepped forward next to Claude and stood tall. "That's right!" She looked back to Terran, who cast pleading glances back to her and Claude before stepping forward sheepishly.

"That's…" his voice cracked and he swallowed hard. "Mmhm!"

The two wolves simultaneously exploded with hearty laughter. Friki covered his muzzle with a hand and shook his head. "Ahh… that's cute. I must admit Pup, despite their foolishness, you've aligned yourself with some humorous allies!"

Niko stepped forward, noticeably distraught, "Friki! Is it true what Kaiser said?"

Friki snorted and twisted his muzzle into a callous scowl. "I'd ask you to enlighten me as to what that was, but I really don't care."

Niko's jaw dropped. Though his natural reaction was to cling to his delusions, the reality of the situation was impossible to deny. "It's true..?! You left me in the forest! You… you all… why…?"

"_That_? That's what this is all about?" Friki referred to the incident as if it were an every day occurrence.

"We were friends! We were friends and then… I just wake up in a bed covered in bandages! What did you… _why_ did you do it?!" Niko's voice quickly turned to desperation as he shouted.

"You think that little whipping we gave you was the worst thing that could have happened to you, don't you? Look at you, one little beating and you're completely broken up. That cheerful innocence you were so sickeningly known for is crushed." Friki's toothy smile twisted into a look of disgust. "It would be splendid if it wasn't so pathetic!"

Niko clenched his fists and turned away. He had nothing to respond with. Dae had some words for the wolves however, and stepped forward. "Stop it! All Niko has been concerned with was finding out what happened to you beasts! How can you be so cruel?!"

"Be quiet, human female!" Friki turned his muzzle up condescendingly. "Cruelty is my last concern as alpha. My job is to look out for the future of my pack, and I don't give a damn how any of you, especially an outsider feel about it! You aren't even one of us, but even disregarding _that_, Kaiser was well above you in pack order."

"Is that what it was?! My fight with Kaiser? You almost killed me for beating Kaiser in a... play-fight?!" Niko was so dumbfounded, he could barely coordinate his speech.

"Hah! That would be all your simple mind saw. Kaiser is a blunt object, a lump of muscle with a small brain who breaks what I tell him to. If he couldn't handle a runt like you, that's his own problem. Sure, we put you to work doing all the menial jobs, and you were becoming a decent fighter, but you were still a liability. Every member of the pack is ranked the way they are in order to ensure each other's survival." Friki gestured dramatically as his tirade continued. "You dream of monsters and fairy tales, we fight to defend our lives. Would you be able to kill when ordered to if the situation called for it? You didn't even realize how badly Kaiser wanted to destroy you, you thought every fight was just a game! No Pup, your existence in the pack endangered the very lives of everyone in it. The incident with Kaiser was just the catalyst."

"That's absolutely barbaric!" Dae was disgusted at the wolf's primal outlook.

Niko however, hung his head as if accepting the faults Friki accused him of. "No… it's how they survive."

Claude spoke up. "Oh come on Niko, you're lucky they left you the way they did! You don't want to turn out like them." He was angered both at the wolves for what they had done to his new comrade, but also at Niko for letting them get to him.

"You haven't learned from your first lesson, and now you're endangering your new friends!" Friki smiled spitefully.

Niko shook his head like an accused child. "No!"

Friki stepped forward, his allegations escalating. "You lead them down here like it was going to be some kind of game, didn't you?"

"That's not true!"

"Did you warn them what of what we would do to them? Did you even mention the beating you got?"

Before Friki could take Niko's mind out of the fight, Claude intervened. "We got here without too much trouble, didn't we? What's two more wolves?"

Geri answered this time, cracking his knuckles as he responded. "You're a cocky one, aren't you? You'll be fun to discipline!"

"No, Geri! Friki, we don't have to fight!"

Friki turned his muzzle up smugly, brushing off Niko's cry for reason. "Pup, if you have any honor left, do everyone here a favor and save these humans' lives. _Begin_ to redeem yourself and take them back to the village."

The three humans in question turned back to Niko with a look of encouragement. If there were any doubts that needed to be expunged before the imminent battle, they were regarding Niko's loyalty. It was a terrible irony that he had to fight who he thought were once his friends, but they wouldn't last long against the wolves without his help.

Niko met the collective of his gaze of his allies for only a moment before turning away. He grit his teeth and looked up at Friki with his head bowed, as if subservient. "I'm sorry…" he forced out his response. "I belong to this pack now."

Geri stepped forward and pointed a long, accusing claw, "Traitor! You will DIE with them if that's your choice!" Friki extended his hand in front of Geri and eased him back, remaining eerily calm.

Dae read the change in their body language and attempted one last call of reason. "You can't do this! There has to be a better way to protect your people without making others suffer!"

Friki snorted disgustedly and stood tall, looking down on the humans before spitting out his retort. "'Suffer'? What would you know about that, girl? Were you even old enough to understand what was happening ten years ago? It's true, some of our kind stood for evil. We remained neutral like many other wolves, even defending our packs from monsters ourselves, but that didn't stop the humans from hunting us like beasts! You children sat safely in your homes while we were forced to become monsters to survive. Even you, Pup! You may look the part but you've never had to abandon all you've had only to lose everything again the next day, have you?"

Claude raised his sword, he could see Friki showed no signs of backing down. "A lot of people lost all they had back then! What gives you the right to do this?!" He looked back, almost forgetting the history of one member of his party. "Terran lost everything too!"

The alpha wolf growled and turned back to the seed, locking his eyes onto it as he lowered his voice and spoke. "I'm tired of listening to your pathetic begging. This is your last chance to leave." He turned back to see the four standing fast. He inhaled deeply and stepped forward. "Very well. If you wish to fight, none of you will be shown any mercy." Friki scanned the faces of the adolescents as he spoke, stopping as his pale blue eyes locked with Dae's. "**None** of you."

Dae swallowed hard and tried her best to quell her nerves, masking her apprehension. Terran was having significantly more difficulty attempting the same. Claude took a deep breath and adjusted his grip. He was prepared for battle when the two wolves turned and began walking away. Claude stood up straight, confused as to what they were up to. They exchanged some words he couldn't catch from where he was standing. The thin one stretched for a moment while the alpha wolf removed the tattered rag he used for a shirt. Claude turned back to his party and realized this was the best time for them to coordinate their plan of attack as well. "Niko, Niko! You know these two, what's their style?"

Niko looked down and quickly racked his brain. "Um… the white one is Geri, he's really quick and very skilled. He used to teach all the other wolves how to fight. The black one is Friki, he's the alpha and, er…" Biting his lip, Niko came to a realization he hadn't thought about until now. "I've never seen him fight…"

Terran wasn't sure whether this was supposed to give him some small shred of confidence, or frighten him even more. His emotions made the natural decision for him and chose the latter. "Wait, he's the alpha and you've never seen him fight?! How is that possible?!"

Niko put his hand against the side of his head and thought hard to recall his last events with them, which were still fuzzy. "I mean… he hit me from behind but the whole pack was on me before I could see how he fought!"

Claude wore a feigned smirk and patted Terran's shoulder. "Don't worry, that means he's used to ordering others to fight for him." Terran looked down and exhibited a slightly calmer demeanor.

Dae bit her lip, interjecting with her vast knowledge of creatures, "I doubt he'd be the alpha wolf if that were the case."

Terran snapped his head up and paled again as Claude rolled his eyes, speaking in a whisper through gritted teeth. "I know that! I was just trying to give _him_ a bit of confidence."

Dae blushed and looked to the side, barely mouthing a response. "Oh… hm."

Niko was still staring at the ground, a concentrated grimace on his face as his brain searched for information. His eyes lit up and he interrupted the awkward silence. "Oh! There is one thing. I've heard that once he took over, he was never challenged. By any of the other wolves."

Claude took a deep breath and took control again. "Okay, well, he's taller than werewolves usually get, so he's got a lot of reach. Terran, that means you'll have to keep him at bay."

Terran quickly shot glances at the three surrounding him. "Me?! With the biggest one?! Why me?!"

"You've got the longest reach out of all of us with that spear of yours."

"But Dae's got a bow! _That's_ the longest reaching weapon!"

"No, Dae will stay out of range and support us with her arrows and magic. We have to protect her so she can use her spells; it might be our only chance. After all the fighting we've already been through, I don't know how smart it will be to just take these two head to head."

Terran hung his head and sighed. Claude was right and despite his greatest fears, he knew it; there was no use arguing about it anymore. He inhaled deeply and nodded, accepting his fate. Claude continued with the strategy. "Niko, you're fast, you'll have to hold off the other and keep him from Dae. Dae, you stay out of reach, use magic whenever you get a chance. I'll help Terran with the big one."

Dae nodded. She knew her magic would be the deciding factor in this fight, but she was still shaken from their fight with Talek and Kaiser. With this wolf being much quicker than the one who nearly drove her through the ground, she would have to time her castings perfectly. She was beginning to wish she wasn't the only one who knew magic; after the last few hard battles, the pressure had been building up. She noticed an awkward stillness, and the rest of them seemed to catch it too. They turned slowly to see the wolves standing side by side, eying them impatiently.

Friki stood with his arms folded, staring down his muzzle eerily through his scarred eye. Geri danced in place, rolling his neck and shaking out his hands before speaking. "Can we get this over with? We have a witch to see."

The seemingly impersonal demeanor of the wolves disturbed Claude, but he nodded to his comrades. They formed a line and began to fan out as they slowly moved forward, each zeroing in on their assigned opponent. Claude and Terran put more distance between each other as they moved towards Friki's side, attempting to start the fight with the wolf sandwiched between them. Niko and Dae tailed off on the other side, Dae staying as far behind her vulpine partner as possible. Niko would have to hold off the most well-trained wolf in the pack from taking out their biggest asset in this fight. Dae was prepared to use her magic as effectively as possible. She had learned the consequences of misjudging casting times, and she wasn't about to repeat the same mistake. The white wolf stared at her hungrily; she knew he would waste no time coming right for her. Hopefully, Niko could hold him back long enough.

The two lupines flashed toothy smiles, as confident as they were unnerving. As the humans and single vulpine began circling them, they turned to face their respective pair of opponents. Friki locked eyes with Niko when he began circling away from him, and Niko knew exactly what he was thinking before he stated it. "Pup! Coward! You don't even have the honor to face me after what you've done to my pack?!"

Niko looked down solemnly and made no response, bringing his attention back to Geri, who was chuckling maliciously. "Don't worry Friki, you'll get your turn."

Niko furrowed his brow. He knew no matter how intent they were on following the plan, they wouldn't be able to avoid switching opponents. And he honestly wanted to fight Friki. Not to avenge his unwarranted beating, but because he had never done so before. He shook his head and cleared his mind; he would stick to Claude's strategy. It was an understatement to say that he was hesitant to initiate the hostilities, but it seemed a consistent issue with his partners as well.

Sensing the uncertainty, the two wolves leapt forward at their respective opponents, increasing the space between them and loosening the perimeter they had been closed into. Friki darted forward and stopped suddenly, giving the slightest feint of an attack which caused Terran to scream and frantically flail his spear out. Friki patted down the few close strikes nonchalantly, letting Terran tire himself out in a panic. Claude joined in, trying to calm down Terran while prodding out with his own weapon to keep Friki at bay. Friki leaned in and out of range, his hands dangling by his sides in mockery of his opponents' wild attacks. Terran and Claude continued their jabbing attacks, in hopes that some might land, but mostly to prevent Friki from starting any kind of momentum.

Geri took a lax fighting stance, making sure to position Niko between Dae and himself. He raised his fists anxiously as he barked at Niko, "Let's see how much you've improved since your last beating!" Immediately, he took a hopping step forward, making an aggressive advancement on Niko, who matched his movements with a backwards hop of his own. Geri pushed forward again, forcing Niko back another step. He turned and realized what Geri was doing. He was trying to force Niko back into Dae, rendering her spells and ranged weapon ineffective, and bringing her closer to danger. Niko couldn't fail in his role this early in the fight, and pushed back, gritting his teeth. Geri waited until the perfect moment, throwing a front kick to Niko's body. Niko provided much of the force against himself when he walked into a stiff kick, and he backed away, much of his wind being forced from him.

Dae took the opportunity to aid Niko, jumping to the side and firing an arrow which whizzed past the vulpine's shoulder. Geri was much too quick to be fooled however, and ducked as the arrow flew past him and at the other group of combatants. It sailed several feet from Friki, almost embedding itself into Terran's leg as he moved at the last possible second. He looked down, shocked, and snapped back up at Dae. "Hey! Watch out!"

The young archer put her hand to her lips, and was about to apologize to Terran when Friki, seizing the opening provided by the chaos, grabbed the end of his spear, pulling Terran into him and in front of Claude. Terran tried to pull back, but even his strength was not enough to match that of the much larger werewolf, and he could only hold on helplessly as he was brought face to face with the beast. He froze as the wolf brought its hand back, slamming its elbow into the side of his face. Though the blow loosened Terran's grip on reality, Friki wasn't done, and he threw another punch to the boy's body, almost immediately after the first strike had landed. Terran began falling backwards, but not before catching one more blow; this time a devastating roundhouse to his head, which knocked him clean off his feet. He hit the ground half-conscious, involuntarily groping around for something to support himself as he attempted to stand back up. Claude ran over, grabbing Terran by the shoulders; trying to get him back on his feet before the wolf moved to finish him off. However, Friki waited patiently for Terran to get his feet underneath him, before shuffling forward and planting a hard side-kick into his chest, sending him and Claude reeling back into a pile of collapsed bricks from the decaying wall.

Dae shifted back and forth looking for a clean shot, but Geri was remarkably adept at fighting off Niko while using him as a human shield for any incoming attacks. Dae panted as she darted around, frustratingly looking for an opening when she noticed Claude and Terran slam into the back wall and hit the floor. Things were already looking grim and she quickly began to lose hope when she looked on the positive side of their progress. If Geri positioned himself to avoid her arrows, he wouldn't be able to see what was coming next until it was too late. She lowered the bow and closed her eyes, touching her hands together.

Friki was satisfied with the pile of rubble and youthful humans he had left at the foot of the wall. He could have easily prevented them from getting back up but he had a score to settle. Turning around, he moved to cut into Geri's fight. He wanted to personally crush Niko for this insult. If the young fox couldn't provide a greater challenge than the other two, at least he would make for the most satisfying punching bag. His bloodlust almost caused him to miss the female in the background. Her body glowed with a blue light and she was chanting something he couldn't immediately make out. It was obvious she was summoning something, and it most likely wasn't directed at him.

"Geri! Look out!" He shouted to his partner as he broke off into a run towards the caster.

The wolf in question looked up to see several chunks of ice coming to form over his head with a freezing creak. Not forgetting about his opponent, he quickly ducked down, tightening his knees while throwing a stinging punch to Niko's body before leaping away and rolling across his shoulder. Niko buckled but also dove away as several blocks of ice crashed at his feet. Dae quickly went about changing the focus of the spell. She was intent on catching Geri before the spell's end until she saw Friki out of the corner of her eye, sprinting towards her. He was fast, but Dae didn't panic, instead waiting a second longer before whipping around and aiming the remaining ice chunks at Friki.

The human had fooled him, she saw him coming all along. Friki couldn't avoid the ice storm now; he had committed too strongly to his attack and could only prepare to defend himself. He raised his arm, covering his face, and the first block of ice shattered against his elbow. The next one came and he took the initiative, striking with his other elbow and smashing it to pieces. The third was swatted down as he pivoted to avoid its now diverted path. The following ice stone came too soon and crashed against his body, covering the fur above his ribs in a thick frost. He reacted, hunching forward and tightening his stomach, absorbing the impact with a wheezing groan. There was nothing he could do now but brace himself and protect his vital areas from remaining onslaught of ice. He tightened all the muscles in his body and covered up, turning to protect himself as the hardened chunks of snow pounded against his body with loud, fleshy thumps.

Dae had the wolf trapped now, and although it physically drained her to do so, she exerted more energy towards the spell, extending its length until the beast had been pummeled into submission, or frozen completely. Considering his intensity, it would probably have to be the latter. The battle seemed as if it would be turning quickly when she caught a white flash coming at her. Sacrificing the energy expenditure and abandoning the spell, she went limp, dropping the ground as Geri sailed over her like an eagle gliding into a landing. She popped up frantically and reached out, but her bow had been scattered across the floor when she dove to avoid the attack. She noticed it instantly, but she wasn't the first to do so. The white wolf stood purposefully between the young archer and her bow, daring her to make a move for it.

Friki brushed a thick layer of frost off his battered arms and stomach, approaching Dae from the other side with a look of annoyance. With a wolf on either side of her and her weapon gone, she'd have no chance to cast a spell before being run down. She frantically looked back and forth, trying to keep both opponents in her field of view as they backed her into a corner.

"Little girl, what are you going to do now?" Geri sneered before taking a hopping step forward, causing Dae to gasp and almost stumble as she tried to match his movement. Then, as if in answer to his question, Dae ran for the hole between the two werewolves. She was nowhere near as quick as her two attackers, and would never make the distance before being sandwiched between them.

Not without some help at least. Niko was back on his feet and once again taking up his assigned opponent. Lowering his shoulder, he collided with Geri in mid-run, sending the two of them careening into the wall of the chamber. Friki stopped short, backing away cautiously as two sharpened tips were held threateningly in his direction.

Geri was easily the fastest in the room, but Niko was quick as well, and with the added advantage of being the only one of two involved in the collision that saw it coming, he was first to his feet, Dae's bow in hand.

"Dae! Here, catch!" He called to her almost playfully as he threw the Chobin's bow like a spear. Dae had to run a few steps, but the weapon was once again back in her hands.

Once more, the four young warriors attempted to utilize their strategy; matching the strengths of the individual wolves with the strengths of the three fighters in hopes of creating a stalemate so that the young sorceress could expend the full power of her magic. It was a good plan in theory. But as they quickly were finding out, even the best laid plans can easily fall apart in the heat of battle. While the party had divided themselves into two separate groups, Friki and Geri fought as if connected by the same conscious. Though they were outnumbered, it seemed as though they were always on the offensive. The fact that they were outnumbered however was probably the only reason the four were constantly defending, rather than being completely overwhelmed. It was obvious the two had been in this situation many times before.

Claude was through giving this plan second chances. No matter how well-thought out it was, the wolves would have none of standing against the same opponent for more than several strikes. They were always in motion, switching stances, jumping to different targets, sometimes even tossing one of the four through the circle they had formed around the wolves, making the battle look more like an elaborate dance.

Terran was finding it harder and harder not to break down and give up. He wasn't sure which feeling was worse; the fear of fighting the creatures he was most frightened of, or the degrading fashion in which they toyed with him, like a cat does with a mouse before killing it. One caused a constant sickness in his stomach while the other frustrated him so greatly, he felt his blood boiling. His lack of agility greatly reduced his effectiveness, reducing his powerful spear to little more than a handle for which to whip him around the room with. No matter how hard he swung, the only time his spear struck was when it was caught in the claw of a skilled werewolf. Friki would yank Terran from the outer perimeter he and his 3 friends had created around the wolves, pulling him between Geri and himself. Geri would strike him two, sometimes three times fast before kicking him back to the other side of the circle.

Dae could do nothing with her weapon in the current situation. If anything, she'd risk one of her partner's lives again with the mobility of her targets. She slinked back from the fray, preparing to cast another spell. She hadn't even begun the summoning when the shadow of Friki's form completely enshrouded her. Was it possible that he sensed her inclination to strike with Undine's magic once more? Or was he simply making his rounds and decided it was her turn for punishment? She drew an arrow back and lined up Friki. The standoff had started. Friki waited patiently for the human to loose the arrow. She would not get another shot; they both knew that. She was also well aware of the werewolves' incredible reflexes. She considered holding him at bay until another came along to aid her.

And someone did. Claude placed himself between the two, his sword held ready. He growled out through clenched teeth, "Stay away from her!"

Friki smiled disturbingly, a row of sharp teeth shining amongst his coal black fur. "Never stand between a wolf and its prey, boy."

Claude brought his sword back and slashed forward with a powerful swipe. Friki quickly lowered his level, the blade brushing by the tips of his ears as it flew past. Claude twisted his body back, unleashing the torque it had accumulated in a back-handed hack aimed low at Friki's crouched mass. As the hit appeared it would score, Friki shot up like a released spring, clearing the blade with a flashy spiral. The spin wasn't for show, and Claude knew it. This werewolf was performing an attack they were famous for; its dangerous _Cyclone Kick_, and the more skilled wolves all had their own signature versions. Claude had just enough time after recovering from the attack to raise a hand to his face, partially deflecting the first strike as Friki's leg whipped out with the full momentum of his aerial rotation. He was knocked off balance, his arms thrown to the side, but he had avoided the serious injury the attack would have caused. However, Friki's personal version was made to be elusive. Appearing to be the standard singular spinning kick, Friki turned once more, slamming his leg like a club across Claude's face as his other foot touched the ground. He straightened his shoulders and laughed as the boy spiraled to the ground. He would have preferred landing both strikes, but he was satisfied with the outcome, and showed it by arrogantly brushing his hair back while letting out a chuckle.

On the other side of the battlefield, Niko and Geri boxed with each other cautiously, throwing a measuring strike and then backing off. Geri was savoring the combat, taking Niko lightly to extract the greatest thrill from it. He would toy with him for a bit longer before introducing him to some real pain. Friki had other plans however, and asserted his authority, appearing besides the two fighters with his arms crossed.

"Geri! I'd like that turn now."

Geri grimaced and lowered his hands. He would have protested, but it was not his place. As alpha, Friki held the right to claim his prey before the other wolves, and he had a score to settle with Niko. He backed off and Niko looked up at the new opponent who towered over him. Friki's scarred eye pierced through Niko as his expression changed from arrogance to hatred.

"Pup! …… How about a little sparring? Test what you've learned a bit… before I dismantle you."

Niko grit his teeth. This wasn't as fun as it should have been. He knew he had to fight Friki, to settle his demons and come to terms with his new role amongst these adventurers. But most of all, to protect his new friends.

Dae had made her way around to the other side of the skirmish, stopping when she had a perfect angle on Friki. Drawing the bow back, she quickly released at Friki's left side. Though he kept his eyes on Niko, Friki had caught the sound of the bowstring tightening at his side, leaning back as the arrow flew past him. But he was beginning to get old, and maybe his hearing wasn't quite as it used to be because he had misjudged, and the arrow skidded across his arm, leaving a gash. Friki looked down with his teeth clenched, but made a conscious effort to shrug off the pain. He hadn't even looked back at his assailant.

Dae wondered why, but wasted no time in drawing another arrow. With the crunch of boot on rock several feet from her blindside, she turned and fired the arrow at her stalker. Geri was much closer than she had anticipated, and he turned his shoulders, watching the arrow slide past his chest. Dae immediately went on the offensive with all the close-range technique she knew. She hopped backwards as she swung her bow with her left hand while reaching for another arrow with her right. Geri moved in to close the distance, ducking under the weapon. Before he was on top of her, Dae thrust the arrow like a tiny spear at the wolf's face. The attack was deftly avoided; Geri swatting her arm to the side and breaking the arrow in half with two quick movements. The parry had thrown her off balance, but she used it to her advantage, unleashing the torque of her twisted body with another bat-swing of her bow. Geri was too close for such attacks, and far too skilled. He caught her arm, locking his around it, and jerked her into him. Dae was brought eye to eye with Geri, and turned away with a groan as his hot breath hit her square in the face.

The wolf took his prey too lightly. Dae was tired of being the object of his amusement. She let go of the bow with her free arm, pulling it back and wiping the sneer off Geri's muzzle with a full-bodied punch. Dae's knuckles cracked as they smashed against the snout of the wolf, and he pulled back with a loud snort. She shrieked and flailed her hand about; she had never landed such a hard punch before. Apparently though, it was not enough. Geri's ill-intentioned grin was gone and his lip curled in a loud growl, exposing his fangs which were now covered with a thin coat of blood. Letting go of the girls arm, he brought his own back and slammed the back of his hand across her face with an echoing crack. She fell to her hands and knees with a gasp. Before she could bring a hand up to her face, one of her arms was twisted behind her and a claw gripped her by her wild ponytails.

"A human girl has no place on the battlefield! Instead, you watch the annihilation of this traitor!" Geri pulled her up and yanked on her hair, turning her head towards the battle with Niko and the alpha wolf. Dae strained and shouted, but could not free herself; Geri had her completely pinned down. She could only watch the fight, and thankfully, the vulpine was still on his feet. The same could not be said for Claude and Terran.

Niko was holding his own but Friki had only been testing him. He struck only from far range, never closing into to pursue an angle. Niko patted Friki's jabs and countered with some of his own, also fighting very conservatively. He watched the wolf's movements closely, anxiously awaiting the onslaught he knew would soon come.

Instead, Friki nodded and smirked. "Good! You are not terrible! But then again…" He faked forward with his head, goading Niko into prodding out with a jab, which was easily caught. Friki pushed it aside, spinning Niko around, and darted in with his hand cocked back. Niko couldn't turn back in time to defend the attack, but used the momentum of Friki's parry to turn away, kicking his leg back like a mule into the wolf's mid-section. His opponent grunted and was halted in his attack.

Again, Friki straightened up. "Geri did not waste his time teaching you. It's a shame you waste his teachings!"

Niko worked up the courage to respond, but kept his hands at the ready. "He taught me very well. Friki! Stop this now, I don't want to hurt you!"

The werewolf let out a hoarse laugh. "Oh-ho! You've learned that much? Well here's something Geri would have never taught you!"

Friki hunched over and dashed forward like a feral beast. Niko didn't expect this animalistic advancement and raised his shin to defend himself. Stopping several feet before colliding with the fox, Friki reached out with outstretched claws, slicing into the back of Niko's pant leg and dragging them across his thigh like knives. Niko let out a shrill cry, somewhere between a yelp and a shriek as his leg gave out, the rest of him falling forward. But before his knee had touched the ground, he was held fast as Friki lunged forward with his head crooked and sunk his teeth into Niko's side, just under his armpit. The powerful jaws locked around the vulpine's body with a meaty crunch as the wolf stood to his full height with his head held high, clutching Niko like a fetched stick. Niko jammed his fingers under the clenched snout, all the while producing all manner of pained groans and whines, attempting to pry himself free, but the teeth were too embedded in his skin to get a firm grip.

Unable to insult Niko with his mouth full, Friki decided to punish the young vulpine further, whipping his head back and forth, thrashing Niko about like a rag doll. The fox howled in agony, emitting tortuous cries which chilled even Geri as he watched Friki fight more savagely than he had ever seen before. Niko felt that the more he struggled, the more Friki's teeth ripped through him. Despite the excruciating pain, he let his body go limp, hoping it would loosen the grip on him before he was sent flying with a piece of him still between the wolf's fangs. Instead, Friki took this submission as an opportunity to do even more damage; grabbing Niko and holding him like a leg of meat. Without any resistance, Friki was able to crush down with the full force of his jaws, burying his teeth in Niko down to the gums before snapping his head down and finally letting go, slamming his prey to the floor with a boom that reverberated through the chamber.

Niko laid still and silent, but his face was contorted in intense suffering. Friki licked his chops as the glaze of insanity slowly faded from his eyes. He stared down at the ruins of his opponent before coming to his senses. "That looked like it really… STUNG!" He accented the end of his statement with a hard soccer kick, dashing the already fallen vulpine across the floor.

* * *

Dae struggled and fought against her captor to no avail. She could do nothing but watch as her comrade was savaged by the beast. She gave up resisting and screamed at the black wolf, "Let him go!" She cringed as the jaws tightened around his ribs, compressing his chest like an old tin can. It was then she heard a noise behind her. Even with his sensitive ears, Geri hadn't noticed until Terran was upon him, striking out with the butt of his spear. It slapped against the outer thigh of Geri, buckling his knees, forcing him to release Dae. She sprawled away on all fours as Terran raised the spear over his head and brought it down like a hammer. Geri crossed his arms over his head and winced as the shaft of the spear crashed against his forearms, but he had caught the weapon. Before he could extract the human's armament, Terran lifted his leg and planted his heel in the wolf's chest. Geri was sent reeling and rolled backwards to his feet immediately upon hitting the ground.

Dae surveyed the battlefield. Terran had returned but was still visibly injured. Claude stirred, just coming back from unconsciousness though he was too disoriented to attempt standing. Niko was worse off, rolling to a stop in a limp mass after being booted across the room. She thought back to what the sage had taught her and stopped on the perfect spell. She would have to divide its power, but it would still be enough to bring this fight back to them. Now that she had ample time and room, she began to summon Undine.

Friki's rage had blinded him to the events transpiring behind him as he walked towards the convulsing body of Niko. He was absorbed with destroying this traitor in every way possible for leading the humans down here. He wanted to humiliate him, beat him into submission, and crush that naïve cheerfulness which irritated him so. Niko was fighting to prop himself up before Friki kicked his arm out from under him, flattening the fox once more.

"There's one thing you can look forward to. You taste far too awful for me try that again!" As he finished his taunt, Friki heard a familiar noise from behind. He turned to look back as a shining blue drop of water landed on Niko's chest, causing his body to glow. Dae had finished casting her _Cure Water_ spell, and Friki recognized it instantly. He spun back to find Niko rising to his feet, the wound in his chest now dry. The wolf smiled; no matter, it would simply give him another opportunity to thrash his young opponent. A step behind him, he had forgotten about the other boy. With a cry, Claude dashed past Friki with sword drawn. The wolf sidestepped, but the blade still left a deep cut across the back of his shoulder. He lurched forward, gripping his wound before angrily slashing out, hoping to catch the human. Claude continued running though, retreating back to Dae and Terran, with Niko joining him shortly after. Another standoff occurred as Claude replayed the events of the fight thus far.

"The plan's no good, they fight too well together." Claude admitted the strategy needed changing.

Terran agreed, "It's like there's one of them for each of us."

"And Dae can't use her magic like that… we need to give her a chance to use it, that's for sure." Claude thought back to all he had read about werewolves while keeping an eye on the two he now faced.

Niko offered his first hand experience. "The wolves always trained together, they know each other's strengths like their own. It's how they survive."

Dae came forward. "But how do we separate them? They're much too fast!"

Claude had an idea; his body language reflected it. "Well… that's where you come in! I'm sure a little frost in their fur should slow them down a little. Freeze them up a bit, just enough for us to compete with them. Then we'll use our numbers to our advantage and draw them away from each other, where they can't combine their abilities."

Dae nodded. "Right, I'll imbue your weapons with the element of ice. It should help even if they defend, but it won't last for long! So be sure and make it count."

"Right, is everyone ready? Terran? Are you okay?" Claude's only concern lied with Terran's greatest fear.

Terran was pale, but reacted positively, with a half-believable response. "Yeah… yeah, I feel good about this plan…"

"Good enough. Okay, let's give Dae some cover! Haaa!" With an enthusiastic cry, Claude leapt out in front, Terran and Niko at his side, all taking their fighting stances. The wolves smiled in response and raised their hands as well. As they began to move forward, they stopped simultaneously as the three youths' weapons lit up with a crystal-blue light. The human archer in back lowered her hands, raising her bow which also shone with blue. The wolves exchanged annoyed looks, but resumed their attack, fanning out as they advanced.

The three young warriors in front dispersed, providing an opening for Dae, who already had an arrow nocked, to fire it through. It left a pale blue trail as it sped towards Geri. He crossed his arms in front of his body and the arrow shattered against the silver bracers on his forearms. The wolf sneered and began to stomp forward again until he looked down at his wrists. His lip curled as he examined the ring of ice covering each bracer. With a loud snarl, he smashed them together, shattering the ice. A series of "tinks" sounded on the ground, and as he looked down once more, he saw that the metal had cracked and fell to pieces with the ice, leaving his forearms bare. His mouth was agape. There were snickers from the humans in response. This embarrassment would not stand with Geri. His honor was everything and these _children_ dared mock it? He charged headlong into the fray, salivating like a rabid animal.

"Geri! What are you doing?! Get back here!" Friki called out to his enraged partner, taking off to keep up with him. Geri had already engaged by the time he got there, trying to take out all three of the frontline fighters at once. The white wolf darted from one opponent to the next, striking guards, sometimes landing a jab or two, and defending a fair share of attacks as well. With every attack from either party, a cloud of frost sprayed off the point of impact; an explosion of snow accompanying the clash.

Geri snarled and slashed until a large claw grabbed the back of his collar, dragging him back out of fighting range. He retaliated until he realized Friki had pulled him back and held him fast. Friki shook his subordinate by the shoulders as he reprimanded him. "What do you think you're doing?! Control yourself!"

Geri shivered, at first he thought due to his anger, but when he looked down, he saw that most of his fur had been frozen stiff. He wrapped his arms around himself and came to his senses. Geri shook the frost from his body, but the stiff hairs still made him look like some kind of cross between a werewolf and a cactus, garnering some more chuckles from the humans. This angered the lupine further, and he stared down his snout contemptuously as he backed up against the large, fiery pedestal behind him. The melting ice dripped from his body as his trembling began to subside. "S-so… you f-f-fancy yourself a m-magician?"

Flinging the water from his hair, the white wolf clenched his fists and thrust them out in front. He closed his eyes and a golden aura surrounded his body, shining for a moment and then fading. The wolf smiled and jumped back into his fighting stance, to the confusion of the party. Dae knew it was magic, but she didn't recognize what spell it was exactly. "He's cast something on himself! Watch out!"

"They know magic?!" Claude began the sentence in surprise, but ended it annoyed that he had forgotten. He had read in Dan Shiner's Bestiary that werewolves had some understanding of a few spells, but he couldn't remember which. If anyone would have known, though, it would be Dae. "What did he cast?!"

Dae spoke quickly as the two began advancing on them again, "I don't know! They're creatures of the moon, it must have been Luna magic!"

Instantly, Geri sensed the fear and chose Terran as his target. Friki cut off Claude and Niko, holding them off with his superior reach. Terran jabbed and flailed his spear, trying to distance himself with the wolf, afraid of what new power it had. In the midst of Terran's attacks, Geri darted forward, sneaking in a light jab to the human's chest. It hit Terran like a snowball, but he crumbled as if it were a hammer. He twisted on the ground, wheezing for air, while the rest looked on. Dae then identified what Geri had cast, and she released another arrow as she warned her partners of it, which unfortunately also warned her target of the incoming projectile. "Stay away from him! It was _Moon Energy_! It gives him the power to cause critical damage with certain attacks!"

Claude broke off from his engagement with Friki with a spin, turning to face Geri with a slash. Geri dodged backwards, giving Claude the room he needed to drag Terran back behind him and Niko. When he rose, Geri had already moved to ensure he ended up right next to his fallen comrade. A slash halted the wolf's attack, but only delayed his inevitable follow up, and he landed a jab to the adolescent's head, followed by a stinging leg kick to his thigh. Claude recoiled, awaiting the magically intensified pain to follow up, but it never came. The wolf was not as surprised as he was, and he drew a logical conclusion from it. "His spell, it must have faded!"

Another quick kick from the white wolf snapped against Claude's arm, completely numbing almost the entire side of his body. He cried out and stumbled, but regained his footing, sensing further attacks.

"Nngaa! It hasn't faded!" Claude ducked a high kick and sidestepped the following back kick, countering with a backslash which Geri avoided with ease.

"Down!" The shout came from behind Claude; it was Dae's voice. He quickly reacted and crouched to the side as an arrow flew past his arm. It passed by Geri's chest as he pivoted, tearing through the material of his vest. With a gruff chuckle which sounded more like a bark, Geri turned back to his opponent. His smile quickly faded however, as Claude was already back up and attacking with a downward slash. Geri avoided the attack, but Claude appended the strike with a front kick, staggering him. Claude knew he didn't have enough time to follow through with a more damaging attack before the wolf recovered, so he took the small opening he had to drive the pommel of his sword into Geri's chest, creating a splash of snow and ice. Geri fell backwards, a thick sheet of ice covering most of the front of his body, paralyzing his arms and much of his general movement as well.

Friki deflected Niko's attacks, keeping him at bay with his long limbs when he saw Geri fall in his peripheral vision. The boy with the sword had put him down and was moving in to finish him off, breaking into a run with his weapon held high. With a single motion, he parried another of the vulpine's attacks while lifting his leg, throwing a back kick which struck Claude in the side and knocked him against the wall. Another creak of the bowstring signaled an attack Friki couldn't defend his partner from. He turned and shouted a warning as the arrow traveled past him.

Geri groaned, the arrow pierced his right arm at the bicep, freezing it from elbow to shoulder. The pain only lasted a second before it numbed completely from the cold. He kicked along the ground, pushing back into one of the four pedestals housing the torches which lit the room.

Friki snapped back to the three fighters, baring his teeth. With a snarl, he spun his body around, whipping his leg against Niko, the vicious spinning hook kick sending the fox across the room. Dae gasped, Friki fixed his cold gaze on her after dispatching her remaining guardsmen. Instead of going for her, the alpha wolf ran over to pull his pack member back between the torches. Rather than take chase, she directed her healing powers towards Terran, who needed them the most.

Friki propped his injured comrade against a further pedestal as the three fallen youths got back on their feet. He placed one hand on Geri's frozen shoulder, the other on the shaft of the arrow.

"Brace yourself." With a sharp tufg, he extracted the arrow, sending a shower of red tinted ice to the ground like shattered glass. Geri howled and clutched the wound on his arm. Friki rose and turned to see the full force of his enemies standing at the ready. With a snort, he leapt forward, throwing a looping crescent kick which backed up the four facing him. Upon landing, he made an immediate advancement towards Terran. It seemed the wolves could sense his fear of them, and had universally pinned him as the weakest. Terran stabbed at the belly of Friki, but his spear was caught and pulled like a rope. Friki swung him to the ground with his own weapon, and he slid towards the feet of his partners. Niko hurdled his human companion, almost tripping in the process. Claude stumbled when Terran crashed into his legs, but quickly recovered and helped the young man to his feet. When they were at the ready again, Friki had moved to the back wall of the room, essentially cornering himself.

Claude decided with one wolf down, now would be the best opportunity to take down the alpha. "Move in! Trap him against the wall!"

Friki made no attempt to improve his position. He stood in the dark corner, his shining eyes reflecting the fire. Niko stepped forward with one final plea, "Friki, give up now! It's four against one!"

The aging alpha wolf closed his eyes and looked down. There was a glimmer of hope, a feeling that he might actually listen to reason. But reason was a human quality, and Friki was proud of not being one. He looked up and brushed the long hair from his face. An odd glow seemed to emanate from his body as his eyes locked with the young warriors. "Is it, pup? You may want to reexamine those odds."

A sound like glass smashing caused the four to jump and spin around. Geri flexed his arm, the puncture in it gone, the ice previously encasing it shattered on the floor. He smiled and jumped forward; now it was the humans and fox that were trapped. Geri immediately sought revenge, sinking a lunging punch into the girl's stomach, knocking her aim off and sending her arrow against the ceiling of the room where it splintered into pieces. Dae fell to her knees gasping for breath and was promptly shoved aside by Geri's boot as the wolf moved onto Terran.

His resolve strengthened by the benefits of Dae's _Ice Saber_ spell, Terran attacked, now with a shred of confidence. His staff collided with Geri's forearm, this time however, without the burst of snow and ice. Terran's eyes widened; his weapon no longer glowed with the elemental magic. With a toothy grin, Geri tugged back, pulling Terran into his elbow before slamming the back of his fist into the boy's face. He was subsequently thrown aside next to Dae.

Niko's speed matched with the range of Claude's blade, preventing Friki from pushing them back into the wolf behind them. His ears picked up sounds of the battle drawing closer behind him, and Niko turned around only to see a white-furred fist. His head snapped back and he dropped to a knee, but his instincts took over. Falling back to his old habits, Niko charged with his head down, putting his shoulder into the wolf's stomach and driving him back.

Claude caught Niko's scuffle but dared not take his eyes off the dangerous opponent in front of him. Now without the vulpine to draw Friki's attacks, Claude wouldn't be able to match the wolf one-to-one for much longer. Rather than tire himself out before inevitably losing a striking bout, Claude lunged forward, taking Friki by surprise. Forced to parry, the lupine suffered a gash across his arm in order to protect his vulnerable face and neck. Claude attempted to back out and escape, but found he was already in the wolf's clutches. He shouted as his wrist was twisted, dropping his sword. Trapping his head and arm in a clinch, Friki whipped Claude off balance before driving his knee into Claude's midsection over and over again. Every time his wind came back to him, it was knocked out again and Claude felt he might pass out from lack of oxygen.

Luckily, Terran had risen, and he slammed the spear against Friki's exposed ribs, dragging the head back and leaving a cut along the wolf's body. Friki growled through clenched teeth as he released Claude, who collapsed and rolled over to his back, gasping for air. With a desperate cry, Terran stabbed forward at the alpha's head, but hit nothing. Friki had weaved underneath the spear, rising with a fierce uppercut that lifted Terran off his feet. Friki had perfected this technique some time ago, and had already swung his leg up over his head, awaiting the boy's descent. As the human fell back to the ground, Friki dropped his leg on Terran's body like an axe, slamming him into the ground. He paused for a moment with his boot on the young man's chest in a sign of dominance before kicking him aside.

* * *

Geri was caught off guard by Niko's charge and stumbled backwards, raising his legs to keep Niko from pinning him to the ground. Niko swung wildly at the werewolf, hitting with clenched fists, even clawing and biting like a wild animal. Geri weathered the storm, absorbing the blows with his arms before pushing Niko off him and springing to his feet. Again, the vulpine charged forward, attempting another takedown, but ran straight into a stiff kick. Geri shot a look over at Friki. The alpha werewolf had just demolished the fearful human with one of his signature techniques; Geri remembered him referring to it as the _Crash Landing_. He shouted over to coordinate the next attack.

"Friki! Incoming prey!" Geri shouted as he came forward with another pushing kick. Niko defended the impact, but was still sent reeling backwards, where a pair of thick arms wrapped around his body. The young vulpine was lifted into the air, unable to balance himself with his arms pinned at his sides. Niko kicked and squirmed to no avail, but found he might be able to reach Friki's flesh with his teeth if he could only bend down far enough. As he bent his body, he was violently jerked backwards and slammed into the floor. His vision went blurry but quickly returned to reveal Friki on top of him with one hand around his throat and the other balled in a fist. Niko didn't feel the first punch land. Everything went white and his ears rung as if they were blocked up. For a moment, he felt as if he were dreaming until a second punch brought him back to reality. This one he felt, and he covered his face with his arms to prevent any more from landing.

Releasing his grip from the pup's throat, Friki pounded with both his fists, battering Niko with powerful blows. Whether or not they were defended, the strikes were causing immense damage, and Niko was powerless to stop them. However, his comrade stepped in to aid him. Summoning the last of his strength, Terran lifted Friki off the fox, using his spear to strangle his opponent. Rather than waste energy trying to pry the staff from his throat, Friki drove his elbow into Terran's ribs, loosening his grip. Grabbing the weapon with one hand, Friki swept Terran's leg and hip tossed him with the other, extracting the weapon in the process. Terran stood, now weaponless as Friki casually tossed the spear behind him. Raising his fists, the young man gulped as the thought of fighting hand to hand with these werewolves drained the color from his face. Before fear could take complete control, he was struck down from behind by the other wolf. Geri shoved the boy forward where Friki was waiting, the same exact thought on his mind. Terran stumbled into a boot which stopped him in his tracks between the two wolves, each standing with one leg raised. As if they had practiced it a thousand times before, they fired away with continual sidekicks, balanced so well that they even prevented the poor human from falling. He was being beaten to death on his feet and couldn't even collapse if he wanted to.

At the sight of his friend being pummeled, Claude sucked in what little air he could and released it in a hoarse war cry. He swung his sword down, attempting to take the attacking leg of the black wolf off at the kneecap. Friki abandoned the attack to sidestep, allowing Terran to fall lifelessly aside. He shoved the swordsman away but not before landing a quick lead roundhouse to the boy's face. The attack stung, but was nothing compared to what Claude had endured minutes earlier, and stood his ground.

* * *

Dae began to rise. She fought through the pain, the guilt of her fragility motivating her. Her friends were taking significantly more punishment than she was, and she used that thought to drive herself. Rising to her knees, she saw Niko unconscious as Terran struggled with the alpha wolf. Closing her eyes, she began to cast her spell of Cure Water.

Claude stood defiantly, showing no signs of pain after the kick to his jaw. When Friki raised his leg, Claude angled his sword, prepared to defend from another high kick. The wolf knew better, instead swinging the kick into the boy's leg. Chopping it down, Friki transitioned into a right cross which knocked Claude to the ground. The young warrior scrambled to get to his knees but was kicked in the ribs and knocked to his back. He looked up to see the bottom of Friki's boot being raised above his body, and held his hands up in defense when he heard a snarling shout.

Niko barreled into his former leader, now revitalized and ready for more combat. He threw short punches into Friki's kidneys, which were absorbed with little harm. Friki stopped himself, kicking his attacker's legs out and throwing him to the ground. Niko gurgled as the sole of the boot was pressed against his throat. Friki held his prey fast as he taunted, "You know better than that! Your attack was as clumsy as a child's!"

He barely had time to finish his sentence when he noticed Claude coming at him from the corner of his eye. His arrogance and hate for Niko had finally cost him, as he was not quick enough to stop the attack. Claude was as shocked as Friki to see a measure of his sword embedded in the muscle of the wolf's stomach. Friki had managed to stop the blade before being impaled completely, at the expense of cutting open his palm, but the wound was severe, enough so to stop the combat universally.

Friki looked up from his injury with blood in his eyes. With his remaining strength, he wrapped a claw around the boy's throat, hoping to squeeze the life out of the human before he himself expired. Claude abandoned the grip on his sword, pushing the arm of the weakened wolf aside before stumbling away, choking violently. The sword remained lodged in the belly of the beast. With a guttural cough, Friki fell to his knee, pulling the blade out and dropping it to the floor.

Niko's eyes widened. He knew they couldn't lose to the wolves, but he didn't think far enough ahead to foresee this. Before he could even contemplate what to do, he was knocked down from behind.

"NOO!" Geri threw the vulpine from his path as he ran forward. He stopped before panic took over upon seeing the humans. They were stunned with the condition of Friki, but wouldn't be for long. He concentrated and worked as quickly as he could. If he were too late, the spell would be wasted.

Dae rose to her feet and stood besides Claude. They both looked on anxiously, Claude still coming to realize the full effects of what had just occurred, Dae considering the teachings of the Sage Luka. She questioned whether or not her status as Luka's apprentice obligated her to act, when without her coming to a decision, a shining drop of water slowly dropped onto the fading wolf. The puncture was hidden behind Friki's clasped hand, and he hunched over on his knees, gasping with each breath. All looked on, wondering if the spell came soon enough to take effect.

Friki removed his hand. The spell appeared to come at the last possible moment, as the hole in the wolf's stomach was gone, but a large scar marked his flesh. He staggered as he stood and spit the residual blood from his mouth onto the floor. Friki wobbled like a large tree, then shook his head and steadied himself. He raised his face to the onlookers and opened his eyes, which glowed in the fire's reflection.

Niko let out a sigh at the sight of his former leader rising to his feet. Though the harsh realities of the world had begun bombarding him in one sudden barrage, he still retained a good amount of his innocence. He could never bear to see the wolf end in such a way. He wanted to say something but his throat was frozen. Claude seemed similarly effected. The boy was still a bit shaken. Fighting monsters was one thing, but despite his bestial appearance, Friki seemed almost human. The young warrior masked the feeling with another ultimatum, "You see? Give up now, or you may not get up from the next one!"

Geri rejoined the alpha and stood by his side, helping him steady himself. Friki pushed Geri's hand away and bared his teeth at the adolescent swordsman. "You pitiful child, I've toyed with you long enough! I'll tear you apart and send the pieces I don't devour back to your parents!"

Friki darted back in with Geri following suit. He was ferocious and precise in his attacks, but noticeably slowed from his brush with death. With Niko's help, Claude could weather Friki's storm now, despite the fact that the wolf singled him out vengefully. Geri was a different story altogether. With the near death of his leader and close friend, the white wolf had pulled out all the stops. He threw all of his most complex techniques, pummeling Terran with fist and feet, then sneaking shots over at Claude and Niko when an opening presented itself. Dae shouted from behind Terran, trying to coordinate a joint attack so that she may utilize another spell, but the werewolf was always two steps from plowing through her guardian to get to her. Hastily loosing arrows was all she could do to keep Geri from pouncing on her without putting Terran in danger from friendly fire.

Geri was always two steps ahead of the spear-wielding human, and he was only warming up. Without warning, he barreled towards Terran, spinning like a top. With each turn, a flailing leg or fist tested Terran's defensive capabilities. In a last ditch effort, he buried the head of his spear in the ground and held it fast, hoping the pillar would halt the next swinging limb. Sure enough, Geri's heel slammed into the side of the weapon, propelling his body in the other direction. Surprised it had not shattered the shaft, Terran removed the bladed tip from the cavern floor and charged forward to counter the staggered wolfman. As Geri kicked off the ground, Terran realized that he had underestimated the balance of his opponent before he could stop himself. Employing his personally enhanced version of the Wolfen cyclone kick, he slammed both of his boots across Terran's face in quick succession, then finished the attack off with a second heel kick, sending the young man twisting to the ground.

Terran's head spun as he struggled to focus on the ceiling of the cavern. His vision cleared up just in time to make out a mass of white fur and blue fabric slam down on him from its inhuman leap. Geri's knee viciously dug into Terran's ribs, crushing the breath from his lungs. He wanted to check if anything had broken, but all the youth could do was curl into a ball and gasp.

* * *

Niko turned at the sound of a boot cracking against flesh, in turn catching Claude's attention. Niko understood what Claude had in mind with nothing more than a slight shove to the vulpine's shoulder followed by an abrupt "go." The young fox man leapt into the fray, switching opponents to the lithe second-in-command. With his partner gone, the human turned his full attention to the beast currently trying to eviscerate him. The wolf was weakened but Claude was tired. He forced himself to fight on, knowing now was the chance to overtake his opponent. Matching Friki's skill with his blade, Claude made full use of his range with arcing slices. Friki parried the near-misses and countered with prodding jabs, but he couldn't hope to cause any damage like this. Gritting his teeth, Friki covered his face and plowed through the sword in-between swings. Shoving it away with his forearm and leaving a nasty gash, Friki managed to get a hold of Claude's shoulders and shoved him downward as his leg swept underneath the human, slamming him to the ground. Claude's sword banged against the floor and slid out of reach as he came out of his momentary stun just in time to catch Friki's boot as it drove towards his face. Friki's diminished strength was still proving to be too much for Claude as the wolf's heel inched closer to the skull of the boy.

* * *

Geri's speed was inhuman. The wolf had just been exerting his dominance over the decimated young man below him and was now springing for Dae in the time it took for the archer's hand to draw her next arrow. She released mid-draw, cutting much of the projectile's velocity, but still aimed dead center at the wolf's chest. Without breaking his stride, Geri swatted the arrow out of the sky with the back of his claw. Landing from his leaping step, the beast threw a hard punch as Dae shrieked in response before covering her face. The blow smashed against her arm, sending her stumbling backwards as a swift kick caught her exposed belly. Dae was taken completely by surprise, and the shock of the wolf's shin slamming into her abdominals sent her to her knees. Aiming to stop the sorceress once and for all, or perhaps remembering the arrow embedded in his shoulder, Geri reeled back a massive haymaker and prepared to unleash. Before his fist could fly, it was caught in mid-air by the archer's bestial companion, and swung to the ground, the wolf following shortly after. Geri stood up and dusted his vest off as he turned to Niko.

"A wristlock takedown! Not bad! But allow me to show you the proper form!" Geri plowed into Niko's chest and the two rolled off in a tumbling mass of fists and tails. From her knees, Dae began to recite the spell of Cure Water once more on her spear-wielding comrade.

Terran jerked up as the spell took effect, but he was slow to rise. He didn't seem as refreshed but struggled to return to battle when he saw Claude succumbing to Friki's strength. Forgetting his lupine phobias, he stumbled over to towering werewolf. With a cry, he swiped forward with his lance only to hit air. Friki used Claude's defensive force as a springboard to leap over the body of the boy, avoiding the attack. Claude scrambled to stand, but a quick kick which seemed only an afterthought to Friki caused him to fall limp once more. Relying on pure strength, Terran charged against the wolf, shoving him into the wall with the spear. Friki held onto the staff of the weapon and pushed back, but his strength had not yet returned, and the human was proving to be quite powerful. The wolf's eyes widened as a knee slammed into his stomach. The strike was unexpected and weakened him further; the shaft of the spear coming closer to his throat.

Claude shook his head out and rose to a half seated, half prone position. Terran had the werewolf against the ropes so to speak, and had begun working his advantage. Fighting through hacking coughs, he shouted encouragement. "Alright koff Terran! Ack Give him a taste of his own medicine!"

Friki braced himself for the next knee strike and ate the attack with little effort. Terran's blows were inexpert and Friki's abdomen was rock-hard. He allowed the human to throw one more before answering back with one of his own, aimed maliciously low. Terran dropped to the floor instantly, sputtering as he curled up. "Ugh…. You dirty… nghnn!"

"Bastard!" Claude shouted his disapproval from the ground as he attempted to rise.

Friki chuckled, unphased by the insults. "What did you expect? You _are_ fighting an animal! We don't play by the rules."

As if to emphasize his point, Friki quickly made for the downed human. Claude spun and pushed himself towards his sword, but he never would have reached it without help. Dae's bowstring snapped with a thunk from her crouched position. If Friki had not heard the arrow, it would have likely plunged into his side. A twitch reaction substituted his arm for his vitals, the arrow sinking in only partially due to the deflection. With a growl, the alpha wolf pulled the projectile from his flesh and sent it back at the archer like a dart. Dae dove to the side with a grunt. Though not fast enough to be life threatening, the arrow flew with alarming accuracy. Dae rose unharmed to see the coal-black beast bearing down on her fast. With her allies incapacitated and her feral pursuer footsteps away, she only had time to reach into her backpack.

* * *

Niko thought he had an extensive wealth of experience when it came to fighting from the ground from his skirmishes back home, but Geri was surprisingly adept at controlling the action. As if reading his mind, Geri turned Niko at every chance, using his momentum and lack of balance against him. In a flash, the vulpine was on his back and Geri was strangling him with his own shirt collar. Instincts took over and he flailed like a wild animal, only weakening himself. As his vision dimmed, he caught a glimpse of his female friend in dire need of help. Friki's claws were around her throat and she was lifted off the ground as if weightless. Niko's former leader was throttling his new friend mercilessly, showing not even a sign of irritation at the pointed kicks to his body she delivered in return. Reaching down to his shirt, Niko spotted a hole created by his previous battle with the witch's undead pet, and reached through it. With one final burst of energy, Niko tore at the gash, ripping away most of the collar from the rest of the cloth. Geri snapped backwards as the material he pulled on was suddenly cut free, nearly throwing him off the fox man entirely. In the confusion, Niko was able to free his leg and kick his assailant away, springing up in the process and running for Friki. Before he could take a second step, claws dug into his leg like hooks and pulled him back to the floor. Geri wasn't done fighting.

* * *

When Claude turned with blade in hand, he expected a snarling werewolf to be inches from his throat. Instead, Dae was now the target of the beast, and it appeared the only way she was able to defend herself was by throwing something at the charging wolf. As it snatched her up effortlessly, Claude saw the projectile was not aimed at the wolf. A rock sized object, wrapped in red cellophane skittered along the ground several yards in front of him. The boy grit his teeth and cast looks at either side of him. Niko was pinned down by the white wolf and Terran was still in shambles. He groaned as he pulled his battered body forward, cursing to himself. "Damnit! If only she had thrown it closer!"

Though he strained as he crawled towards target in front of him, the gasping cries of his friend drove him on. He could only hope he reached it before it was too late. It seemed like minutes later he finally reached the small piece of rock candy Dae had tossed over, quickly unwrapping it. The enchanted sweet was not nearly as powerful as Dae's magical healing powers, but it gave him the jolt he needed to get to his feet and rush to the aid of the sorceress, letting out a fierce war cry. He didn't care about alerting his approach; Dae wouldn't last much longer and if Friki knew an attack was coming, he would release his prey to defend himself. Claude's instincts were right, and Friki did release Dae, but not in the matter expected. Reeling his arm back, Friki turned and threw his victim at the incoming swordsman like a javelin. Claude gasped and dropped his sword just as the human projectile crashed into him. Without regard for himself, Claude tucked backwards and rolled, trying to cushion the fall of his partner as much as possible.

He stopped on his back, Dae rolling over him and clutching her throat, fighting for air. Claude shook his head out and darted over to his friend, checking on her condition. "Is everything okay? Are you alright?!"

"Besides my neck being two sizes smaller, I'm fine!" Dae wanted to respond with something witty like that, but instead, she could only nod as her coughing calmed a bit. There were a few scrapes, but Claude had managed to prevent either of them from sustaining any major damage. Dae pushed herself up as her breathing began to regulate and forced a smile. "You make a soft cuff… landing pad."

Geri had a knee across Niko's stomach and pressed his face against the floor with a paw, but when he saw Friki fling the "witch" like a weapon, he sprung up with a shrill laugh. The vulpine bolted up as well, eager to continue the fight, but was knocked right back down with a running kick as Geri flew by, laughing again. Niko brought a hand up to his muzzle and stood as his opponent rejoined with the alpha. Geri pushed against the pack leader's shoulder as he chuckled. "That was rich! 'Human Throwing,' it sounds like a new werewolf sport!"

Dae was red with anger, and she stood with her hands clenched. It was obvious she wished to cast another attack spell, and the wolves prepared themselves. Geri was still in high spirits, "Let her drain herself dry, then we'll crush her!" They lowered themselves and made ready to evade whatever was sent at them.

Claude grabbed the sorceress' shoulder in an attempt to delay her casting. "Wait," he saw they were ready as well.

Dae loosened her arms and took a deep breath. Claude may have realized the spell would be useless without any sort of diversion, but he didn't seem to catch what the wolf had said. Dae ran it through her head once more, "Drain myself? What did…"

Before she could mill over the statement, Niko had leapt forward with a kick, knocking Geri into his own superior and sending both stumbling into the wall. He shouted back to his comrades as he threw another kick at the closer wolf to keep him preoccupied. "Dae, now!"

Dae began casting without hesitation. The wolf's recent insults had hit their mark, and she chose one of her more dangerous spells.

Geri defended Niko's second kick and answered with a front kick of his own which sent the vulpine sprawling to the floor. An axe kick to the downed fox man's head would have been a fitting end to the attack, but as he stepped forward, a drop of what seemed like rain landed on his forearm. As Geri brought his arm to his face, the drop changed a thick green hue and sizzled, producing a trail of steam. Geri yelped and swatted at the droplet when dozens more began to rain down on him from overhead. Paralyzed by the _Acid Storm_, he could do nothing but fall to his knees and cover his head. Desperately, he shouted for help as small patches of fur began falling out, "NNNGGHAAA! Friki! Hurry!"

With a quick kick, Friki shoved Geri to the floor and out of the column of burning water, drenching his leg in the process. He cursed and snapped it back, though it also suffered several burns. Geri was much worse for the wear however, and frantically ripped his vest off as the acid ate at the material. Throwing it the floor, he slowly removed his hand that covered his face, revealing an almost completely bare muzzle. The humans would likely have tittered at this, if the sight was not as disturbing as it was humorous. Instead, the two humans cringed, and Niko turned away.

Friki inspected his wounds, then inquired as to the condition of his partner. "Geri! Geri, how bad?"

The wolf convulsed in pain, stammering as he spoke, but refused to divulge how badly he was injured. "Ng.. Not too bad… the spell was weak… guh… she probably NEVER LEARNED HOW TO CAST IT PROPERLY!" Geri shook as he screamed, his pure white coat now spotted with singed fur and fleshy pink patches.

"You look worse than you admit. I'll heal you." Friki began moving to cast his own Cure Water spell when Geri stopped him.

"Don't waste it on me, I'll be fine."

"I'll divide it, we both could use it."

"It's your authority."

As the wolves recovered, Dae took the pause in action to revive Terran with a spell of her own. Terran rose groggily once more and rejoined his party. Claude looked back momentarily, but kept a close eye on their opponents. "We should have stopped them, they're just going to keep healing themselves every time we get somewhere!"

Dae shook her head. "They'd be waiting for us to do just that. Let him split the magic, they'll only reap half the benefits. I'll just keep healing you all individually and they'll keep getting weaker."

Niko danced like a caged animal. "And we've almost got them beat too!"

Dae sighed. "Yes, Niko…" She had no clue how the vulpine maintained such a high level of energy. "So! Keep them busy some more! I have the perfect spell in mind for them."

"Well then, I hope everyone else is as eager to see it as I am!" Claude was intrigued by Dae's uncharacteristic feistiness, though it was slightly startling.

Geri was not as freakishly scarred from the Undine magic as before, but he was still visibly wounded. His muscles were stiff and slow to respond. It didn't take the animalistic senses the wolves possessed for Claude to realize that if they were going to take this fight, it would be now. Dae prepared herself while the three young fighters formed a line in front.

Claude smiled as a thought arose. "Terran, you know what they say the best way to conquer a phobia is?"

Terran raised an eyebrow. "What do you… Oh no… You don't.. you _can't_ mean..!"

"Just give us a minute!" With a stiff push, Claude "urged" Terran towards the giant. "Don't let him breathe! You'll do fine!"

Terran slammed into Friki with a half-tackle, the best he could salvage from his awkward stumble. Using his spear as a fulcrum, he shoved against Friki's chest and charged forward with a hoarse cry. When he opened his eyes, he looked down to see that though his legs were kicking, Friki remained unmoved. The wolf looked into the eyes of the frightened boy and growled.

* * *

Niko leapt in with acrobatic flourish, only to find the boot-end of a stiffened leg to be his landing pad. He fell to his knees and gasped as Claude jumped in front to prevent a follow-up attack. Shouting heroically, he lunged forward with a fierce stab. Geri was sore, but still able to slip the attack deftly, wrapping his arms around the boy's head and pulling the human off balance. Claude stumbled forward before being jerked upright abruptly, where Geri delivered two quick knee strikes to his abdominals. Claude grunted with the impact but held strong, pressing the blade of his sword against the wolf's chest and pushing against it. Not willing to trade strikes for slashes, Geri released Claude violently, shoving with his forearms and leaping into the air, striking his opponent in the chin with an extended flying knee.

Claude fell backward in a half-conscious daze. As he lost footing, he fell into Niko's arms from behind, who propped him back up. Claude snapped back into reality to see Geri awaiting their next attack, but something was odd. It seemed like a faint yellow ring had begun to coil around the wolf. He thought he was still seeing stars when the wolf noticed it too, just as it came into a full form. What looked like a string of golden pearls spiraled around Geri. He didn't know what spell it was, but he knew it was the witch, and he didn't want to be near it. As the coils tightened like a constricting snake, Geri arched his body and dove through a tiny opening, the spell collapsing in on itself behind him.

Dae lowered her hands and grimaced. "Damn! He's still too fast! Keep on him!" She turned to check on Terran. The black wolf pounded on him, but Terran hung on, taking the sting off the attacks by clinging to his opponent like a wrestler. If he could hold out for just a little longer…

Geri was beginning to feel desperation setting in. He was dealing with the two combatants, but barely managed to avoid the sorceress's magic. If he didn't finish them quickly, he'd lose this battle. His lip curled as he stomped into his fighting stance.

"Rrrrr, come on, Pup! Naïve fool! I'll destroy you both!"

The wolf leapt forward with a series of aerial slashes, landing between the two warriors as they dove aside. Dae was waiting with an arrow drawn, releasing it at the feet of the white Lupine. The arrow ricocheted off the hard floor, slicing past the wolf's ankle. Geri stumbled, but charged the archer, aiming to eliminate the sole wielder of Mana. In a surprise move, the young female ducked her shoulder and rushed the wolf. The shock of the girl's bravery did more to stop the wolf's attack than the tiny impact it made. With a snarling grunt, Geri flung the Sage's apprentice away from him, slamming an elbow into her face in the process. She hit the floor hard, her lip dripping from the newly opened cut in it.

The strategy clicked in both the boy's and the vulpine's minds simultaneously, and the sacrifice Dae made gave them the chance to implement it. Following her example, Claude ducked in with a low swipe of his blade. Geri sprung up to avoid the attack, hurdling the sword like a jump rope. Niko approached from the flank, swinging his leg into the wolf's exposed thigh muscle. Geri grunted and knocked his assailant away with a palm strike. The simultaneous assault was proving to be too much as Claude drove the pommel of his sword into Geri's leg. The wolf fell to a knee, but not before driving Claude back with a flailing back hand. Niko rose, his mind rushing back to his first fight in the pack. Charging forward at the recovering werewolf, he leapt high into the air before his former teacher. In what could have been considered insult or flattery, the fox man implemented the wolves' signature _Cyclone Kick_, sending Geri slamming into the pedestal behind him. Fiery embers showered down on the wolf from the burning torch as he struggled to his feet. As his knees finally locked, the golden orbs tightened around him once more. This time, Dae's _Absorb_ spell was successful, and her victim's formally white body now shone with a blinding gold light. In a coordinated sequence, the orbs passed out of Geri's body, taking the light with them as the wolf collapsed. Claude and Niko turned back as the orbs returned to their caster. The light traveled into Dae's body and she closed her eyes. When it faded, the cut on her lip was gone and the various scrapes and bruises were healed. Geri's body shook as his muscles fought to push his heavy body up, but failed. The scant amount of energy that remained was just enough to keep him conscious, and he could do nothing but watch as Dae approached with an evil look in her eye.

"Now, to finish you off!" Dae raised her hands in preparation of a final Freeze spell that would finally and completely incapacitate the wolf. Her body jerked as if struck; Claude and Niko jumped to defend her from her attacker, but no aggressor was in sight. She brought her hands to her head and swayed like a tall tree.

"Dae! What happened? What's going on?" Claude grabbed the young girl's shoulders and held her steady. Her bearings began to return, but before she could answer, a sinister laugh arose weakly from the ground.

"Drain yourself of Mana, didn't you? Hah!" With the last of his strength, the white wolf propped himself up and shouted to his pack leader, "Friki! The witch! She's run dry!"

Friki held Terran's limp body by the collar, arm cocked back and ready to unleash, when he heard Geri's call. With a short chuckle, he tossed the boy aside and made his approach.

Niko turned back to the fallen wolf who had brought him into the world of the Lupine Arts. With a half-smile, he set his legs. "Geri, I'm sorry." In his weakened state, a low kick to the face of the wolf was enough to ensure that he stayed on the ground this time. Niko lingered over the body of the beast, turning back to Friki only when he saw Geri was still breathing.

Friki stopped dead in his approach. Geri was out of the fight. How could these four children best his entire pack? There were certainly other powers at play here for these turn of events to transpire. Whatever was giving them strength, it was certain he'd need his second in command to win this battle, and quickly prepared to cast Cure Water on his fallen comrade.

"Quick! Stop him! We can't let him revive the white one!" Before Dae had even begun her warning, Claude and Niko had already bolted for the wolf. Niko's superior speed enabled him to reach Friki first, landing a kick against the wolf's bulky shoulder before the final incantations were complete. The spell fizzled out like a firecracker as Friki stumbled backwards.

Claude diverted from his path when he realized he would never reach in time, instead pulling Terran back over to Dae. He was not completely unconscious, but it was apparent he wasn't coherent. Claude propped him up into a seated position and looked up to Dae.

"You can heal him, can't you?" Terran groaned in response to Claude's question.

Dae bit her lip. "I don't know… something happened back there, and whatever that wolf said might be true. I don't think I can control Undine's powers." She reached into her backpack and pulled out one of the final pieces of enchanted candy. "This will have to do. It's not much, but it will be enough for now."

The effects of the candy brought Terran out of his stunned state and healed his superficial injuries, but not much else. He struggled to get up once more. "How many times have I been knocked out?" He almost slurred his question out.

Claude helped Terran to his feet. "Don't worry, you're doing great. We're down to one."

Terran rubbed his eyes. "It's the big one, isn't it?" His vision began to clear and focused on the alpha wolf. "It is…"

Friki eyed the four differently than he had earlier. His confident air was gone and he looked curiously on his opponents. "You have been sent by someone powerful to stop me? All I wanted was to protect my kind. Does that justify divine intervention?"

"Don't flatter yourself! We've got bigger fish to fry! You were just on the way." Claude was confident in their mission and eager to resume it.

"Powerful forces are indeed aligned with you… you children… to survive thus far. But now we'll see who Mana truly favors!" Friki backed into his fighting stance, keeping the four destined fighters in sight. The three in front charged, believing in their strength in numbers, but Friki was masterfully maneuvering them so that only one could attack at a time. Grabbing a shirt collar, spear shaft, even a tail, he pushed and pulled the three in front of each other, dealing light damage with each attempt. However, without the help of the beta wolf, he was also taking it. A jab here, a prod with a blade there; each were beginning to take its toll.

Friki could see this was a losing battle, but there was nothing else he could do. He was surrounded by these swarming combatants and couldn't escape to change his strategy if he wanted to. Even the human girl, without any power left to wield Undine's magic, lurked amongst the melee, throwing a kick or clubbing with her bow when an opening presented itself.

The human girl… Friki knew her hand-to-hand experience was far below that of the other three. The next time she jumped in to strike… he would make his move. It was not long after concocting his plan that Dae's bow connected with the back of Friki's shoulder. He knew it was coming, and purposefully presented the opening to capture the female. Grabbing the bow, he spun the sorceress around and wrapped his arm around her neck from behind. He quickly dragged his prey away from the others, making sure to keep them all in front.

The wolf's eyes were wild as they flashed from one opponent to the next. "Stay back! I'll snap her in half like a twig!" His threat was accented with a squeeze that made Dae squeak.

Claude raised his sword and pointed it at Dae's captor. "Let her go! It's over, Friki!"

Friki backed himself towards the steps. "I want that seed! And you'll to watch me take it or you'll watch her die!"

Dae squirmed in the wolf's arms, loosening herself enough to speak. "Wait! You can't just take the seed, there's a secret to them! Something you have to do first before you can take it!"

"Oh? What's that?" Friki turned his head back as he lifted his foot towards the first step of the seed's pedestal.

"Stop taking me so lightly!" With a fierce stomp, Dae dragged the heel of her boot across the wound on Friki's shin, still raw from the Acid Storm.

The werewolf threw the archer away with an abrupt yelp and clutched his leg. When he looked up, he saw the four ready and eager to pounce. In a last ditch effort, he turned and began running for the seed. He only made three steps before the gloved hand of Niko clutched the ankle of the wolf's recently agitated leg. Friki growled and kicked repeatedly at the head of the vulpine until his leg was free. Again, he made for the seed.

Claude wasn't sure what would happen if the seed was removed, but he didn't want to find out. However, neither him, nor Terran would be able to chase down the wolf, as he was already halfway up the large staircase. Terran's footsteps sounded behind him, for he was a bit slower than Claude. The sound sparked an idea like a surprise fire. Dropping his shoulder, he clasped his hands together as Terran was several running steps away.

"Terran! Up!"

Without breaking his stride, Terran complied, stepping off Claude's arms and boosting into the air alongside the staircase.

With the vulpine down, there was no way the humans would catch up to him. Friki was steps away from the altar when the head of the submissive human appeared alongside him. With a clubbing swing of the human's spear, the wolf was sent tumbling back down the stone stairs. Niko looked up to see the hairy tumbling mass coming straight for him. He ducked his head, creating a fuzzy ramp for the werewolf to launch off of. Friki slammed against the floor, his head banging against the cold, hard ground. The ceiling began to spin and his vision blurred, but he made out the four figures standing over him. With his grip on reality failing, the wolf closed his eyes and submitted to unconsciousness.

Claude breathed a long sigh, digging the tip of his blade into the ground and leaning against the handle. Niko bent down, panting heavily as he inspected Friki's body. He rose with a smile and nodded to his party members in silent thanks. Dae smiled back and Claude scoffed jokingly. "Well… don't expect us to do another favor like this again, Niko. I hope no one else has any monsters for friends. I'm surprised Terran made it through without fainting."

A crash sounded behind Claude, cutting him off. Claude cursed, raising his sword as the rest turned, ready to attack. Terran was sprawled out on the floor like a starfish with his eyes locked on the ceiling. The three relaxed as Claude sheathed his sword.

"Well… he almost did."


	15. CH 13: The Chosen One of Earth

_With the extra free time of summer, we can now devote more time to NTSoM, and it shows with this update so much sooner than the rest. Anyways, I hope this increase in acivity llasts longterm, because we've been working on the NT project for about 4 years now. It may be a little unrealistic, but I'm hoping to have this story done by the end of the year..._

_Anyways, this chapter is written entirely by me._

* * *

**Chapter 13:**_The Chosen One of Earth_

_By ClaudeLv250_

The seed gleamed with the pure essence of the earth. Its glow was warm and inviting to Terran. His worries, his wounds, they all seemed to melt away as his eyes were fixated upon such a welcoming sight from his position on the floor. It was as if the seed had been placed there just for him, and was currently longing for his touch as much as he longed for it right now. He sat up as it felt like the battles and hardships from before had never occurred, and that nothing else would ever happen again until after he got his hands on that seed.

"Terran?" Dae whispered as he slowly walked beyond her and Niko and stepped over Friki's crumpled form, his fear of wolves abolished in the wake of the seed. He began to climb the stairs to the top of the pedestal.

"...is this what you were like with the Water Seed?" Claude asked. Dae shook her head.

"No. I was fascinated, but Terran almost seems hypnotized. I'm a little worried..."

"Terran!" Claude called. "Can't this wait a bit? We can't just leave the wolves here like this, as much as I'd like to. Terran?"

The seed was now inches away from him. He wanted to. He had to. And he did. The young man reached out and lightly laid a gloved hand atop it, and that was all he needed to do to trigger it. The sound of voices stopped instantly and the walls of the Underground Palace melted away. The pedestal was now in a deep, earthen cavern, presumably the natural form of the area before the palace had been built.

Terran instantly started to regret his actions and turned back. He was relieved to see that his friends were still there, as were the defeated wolves. But they were as still and lifeless as statues.

"Hey guys...what's wrong?" He asked. There was no reply.

A brownish-orange light caught him by surprise from behind. He whipped around just in time to see the figure of Gnome pop out of it. Terran gasped, his first meeting with the elemental spirit of Earth had just begun. The floppy green hat and deep brown mane were undeniable.

"Hey there Terran!" the spirit greeted, his thick beard bouncing to one side. "Looks like you survived."

"H...h-hello, oh great Elemental of Earth!" Terran stammered awkwardly. He bowed slightly, looked up, then bowed again when he determined that he hadn't bowed long enough the first time.

During all this, Gnome found the seed to be a comfortable resting place, dropping out of the air and plopping down nicely atop it. "Oh, cut that out now! You've been through a lot recently, haven't you? You're the one I chose, and this is the first time we've gotten to have a discussion."

"So, uh...what happens now?" Terran asked nervously. His eyes shifted around, and he looked back towards his friends again. "And, what happened to them?" He motioned with a quick jerk of the head.

"Oh, yes! Don't worry about that," the spirit said, stroking his beard casually. "It's not what happened to them, but what happened to you. We're in your mind."

Terran's shoulders dropped in a slightly disappointing manner; he should have already figured that one out. Instead of dwelling on that subject, he pushed on, "I was told this was a three step process. Am I doing it right?"

Gnome let out a chuckle.

"You're doing just fine, sonny. The first step is already complete. After our little chat, you should be well on your way."

"That's it?" Terran asked, dumbfounded. He threw a hand over his mouth quickly, realizing that he let those words slip out aloud. It wasn't that he wanted to sound ungrateful or unimpressed, he was just expecting more. "There's no test or trial, or anything?"

Gnome chuckled again. Terran wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

"If I had to have chosen a test, I say you'd have already passed it."

Terran's jaw dropped. "Are you serious!? Just like that!?"

"Well, you probably don't think it was all that easy now, that skirmish you had with the wolves and all. You showed great promise and courage in the face of your fears."

"Yeah, but I...I..." Terran stammered and eventually stopped. He was flustered and reddened quickly. Gnome had fully known about his intense fear of werewolves. He felt weak and ashamed in the face of the elemental, and his embarrassment increased at the thought of his current appearance. He tried to explain himself one more time, "You know, I-I'm not all...that comfortable talking about..._them_..."

"Nonsense!" Gnome screeched, standing atop the seed and pointing accusingly. Terran was taken aback by the sudden change in the spirit's demeanor and tone. "Now you listen here, sonny! Everyone has their fears. Everyone! And don't you back down now! You were deathly afraid of those werewolves but you still did what you felt you had to do, what you believed in! You showed courage, fighting alongside your friends to protect your home and the seed from those invaders. And because of that, your actions have saved countless lives. I'm proud to have chosen you, and you should be proud too."

Terran cracked a smile. Gnome's speech had stirred up old memories and gave him a comfort he hadn't experienced in years. Those spoken words had felt...fatherly to him. A presence he didn't realize he missed so much for so long.

"The other spirits may have been worried about my choice," Gnome added on to Terran's dismay, "but you've proven yourself. Just think back to what you did today and what you can accomplish because of it. Remember, courage is not the absence of fear, but the choices we make in spite of that fear. But I think you understand that now. I feel that you're ready. Use my power wisely."

Terran nodded. Gnomes voice was fading, as was his image. He then thought back to something he had heard about Gnome before.

"Wait...you didn't plan to use any of this before, did you? The fight, the wolves...?"

A spirited chuckle echoed in the distance and in an instant – the palace was back, and familiar voices called from behind once again.

With the Seed of Earth so close to him, Terran decided to get it over with, and laid a hand on it once again. The glimmer of the seed erupted into an explosion of brownish light and mana. Terran had been completely engulfed, and the astonished cries of his friends were drowned out. It was over in seconds, and Terran had already began descending the pedestal once the light started to recede back to the seed. He felt their silent stares as he climbed down the steps in a slow, accomplished stride. He stopped before them, where the silence was finally broken.

"So...what's it feel like?" Claude asked, eying Terran up and down for any sign of physical change.

"I...dunno. It's weird. It's like I know more and can do more...but my body still seems the same, I guess," Terran scratched his head, at a loss for the words he was looking for. "I just feel kind of warm and fuzzy inside from touching the seed."

"I'm warm and fuzzy all the time!" Niko announced proudly. He was met with a collective, dismissive sigh. He decided to stay on the subject. After all, his curiosity was bugging him. "So you know magic now too? What kind of spells do you know? Can you make earthquakes!? Can you turn people to stone!? If Dae can freeze people and you can turn them into stone, does that mean I can set people on fire!? And if I can set people on fire, then Claude can...shine light on people?"

Claude frowned instantly. "Shine light on people!? I should be able to do a whole lot more than that!" Niko shrugged and Claude raised a fist threateningly. "Don't underestimate the element of light!"

"Can we talk about this another time?" Terran asked, feeling the exhaustion returning. If he stood any longer he thought he would sway. "I'll tell you all about it later. We still need to figure out what to do with..._them._" He motioned to the two wolves on the palace floor. Even in their unconscious state, Terran still wanted to grip the spear on his back just as a security measure.

"Don't ya be worried about those wolves!" Watts waddled into the chamber with several other dwarves, all armed to the teeth with swords, axes, armor, and even a few bows. "We're clearin' the area and takin' them all back." He pointed towards the wolves and ordered the other dwarves around. They surrounded Friki and Geri before hoisting them onto a makeshift cart with rickety iron wheels.

Terran blinked. The sight was simply foreign to him. "I've never seen you guys like this!"

Watts beamed and proudly held onto an axe that was nearly the size of his body. "I told ya we'd be comin' in after ya after a certain point! Think we were goin' to just let those wolves have their way?" His grin started to disappear as he saw Terran's condition. "Is there somethin' ya want to tell me? Ya look...different. There's more goin' on here than any of yer are tellin' me," he said, catching glances from Dae and Claude." I know that much fer sure."

"Don't worry," Terran informed him, placing a hand on Watts' shoulder. "I'll tell you everything when we get back. There's a lot to say."

* * *

"...and that's how I found out I was Gnome's Chosen One."

Watts' jaw was left agape. "Ya don't say!? So, yer friends...they're all chosen too, right?"

"Yeah." Terran looked down at the table in Watts' workshop. "Dae and Undine. Claude and Lumina. Niko and Salamando."

"Ya wouldn't know it just by lookin' at 'em! And tell Ms. Ripple that the ice bridge came in handy!" He boomed with laughter, just the thought of what these people could accomplish with their new titles excited him, as did the prospect of seeing Terran alongside them. "So did they just come and recruit ya or...?"

"Oh, no. We actually met by chance yesterday. It's because of Claude and Dae that I managed to get my Memento Spear back." He set the spear down on the small table in front of Watts, who instantly began inspecting it by nature. "I got caught up in some prior business they had to attend to. We ran into Niko and before I knew it, a couple of near-death experiences later and I'm in the Water Palace being informed of my status as chosen."

Watts chuckled. "So life just got a helluva lot more interestin' for ya, did it? Gonna leave old Watts behind, are ya?" They both shared a quick laugh, but Terran was the first to return to silence. His eyes trailed back down to the table as quietness grew between them. The room dimly lit by the glowing lava in the far corner of the room and the shadows cast a gloomy darkness across Terran's face.

"You know, I really am going to have to leave..." Terran whispered.

"I know...but don't ya look like that!" Watts demanded, pounding a fist on the table. "This isn't goodbye forever! I want ya to go out their with yer friends and do what you were chosen to do! And when yer done, ya come right back down here and I'll finish shapin' ya into the best damn human blacksmith that ever lived!"

Terran smiled. "I guess you're right. This place will always be my home." Terran stood from the dwarf-sized table, stretching his limbs and yawning simultaneously. "I think I'm going to check on the others and call it a night."

"Before ya go..." Watts still held the spear, casting glances between it and Terran. "The spear's pretty old and a little worn. Maybe I can do some work on it in the mornin'." The dwarf stopped to think for a moment, stroking his beard in a fashion that immediately reminded Terran of Gnome. "Actually, bring yer friends by tomorrow. What they did for our village was a good thing. Maybe I can do somethin' for all of their weapons."

Terran nodded before he headed out of the door. He shut it carefully, making sure to be as quiet as possible and light on his feet. It was not only night above Gaia's Navel, but below it too.

Creeping across the dirt floor of the underground village, he reached his destination on the far right: a hallway leading to a room for special guests. The muffled sounds of a conversation peaked his interest, and he strolled slightly faster to the source of it, slipping into the guest room.

"I can't thank you enough for assisting Terran and protecting the Seed of Earth," the dwarven elder said to the young heroes, shaking Niko's hand in particular. They had been hearing that particular song of praise since they had returned from the Underground Palace. "A few of us were worried when Terran first brought you down here, but now there are no more doubts or suspicions. Of course, this entire situation has changed our outlook and policies on outsiders."

"...would things have really been that bad?" Claude thought aloud, leaning back against the rough, rocky wall of the room. "I mean, if the seed was taken. I just never realized how important it was for it to stay in its palace."

"You may not have seen the effects immediately if the seed had been stolen, but in a matter of days, Gaia's Navel would have started to decay and become unfit for life." The elder was grim as that possible future dwelled in all of their minds. "The village would have to be abandoned immediately. We would be forced from our homes in search of a new land to settle in. Of course, I've heard the Lofty Mountains had quite nice caverns...it wouldn't be a total loss." He let out a quiet chuckle.

Claude didn't really want to think about it, but had to ask. "So what would happen if someone took the Seed of Light from Gold Tower?"

"Ah, Gold City." The elder hesitated, thinking twice about what he wanted to tell the youth. "I imagine that the island would completely sink into the ocean by the end of the week."

"Hey guys..." Terran finally said, making his presence known.

"Terran! Ready to turn in for the night?" The elder scurried towards the door. "I won't bother you for too long if you plan on staying here with your friends tonight. I even offered Ms. Ripple a private room but she refused!"

Dae sat on the soft dwarf-sized bed. She was slightly flushed and her eyes darted around a bit. "Well, I...no, we've all been through so much today. I'd feel a little odd getting too much special treatment now."

"Well I'd love to be able to get to sleep myself right now, but I want to check some of the supplies you'll need before you leave tomorrow," the elder said, halfway through the door. "There's also a last-minute meeting between us dwarves about what to do with the _other_ outsiders." He quickly mumbled something about werewolves under his breath as he closed the door.

Terran looked around the guest room and noticed just how sparse it was. There were a few pieces of furniture like dressers and a chair or two but they rarely ever saw use, much like the room itself. In the far left corner was the single dwarf bed which Dae rested upon, and on the floor were three beds of hay. Even if there had been some disagreement on who would sleep where, Dae was the only one who could comfortably fit in one of the dwarf beds.

Claude stretched. "I'm really starting to feel a full day of fighting. It's all starting to feel like a blur already."

"I call the first bed!" Niko screamed, diving into the bed on the far right.

"...what's the difference?" Claude asked as he approached the makeshift beds, but received no response. Niko had somehow occupied himself with rolling in the hay.

Claude nudged the middle bed with his boot before kneeling down and grabbing a fistful of hay. He grimaced at the prickly sensation in his palm as he squeezed it, then felt the cold ice of Terran's disapproving glare.

"Hey! It's not like I'm being snobby or anything. I've just never slept in a bed like this before." Claude realized that Terran wouldn't be content until he took the plunge, literally. He kicked off his boots and sat down in the hay. "There, happy?"

Terran nodded before collapsing into his own bed. "Watts wants to look at our weapons in the morning before we go," he attempted to mutter through a mouthful of hay.

"Really!?" Niko exclaimed, sitting up quickly and sending a cloud of hay forward. "What's he going to do to them?"

"I really have no idea...I think he may want to temper my spear at least."

"Well my sword hasn't needed work since Lumina fixed it," Claude said with a bit of pride while shifting in the hay to find a comfortable position. "But, Watts is a famous blacksmith so I guess it can't hurt to let him look at it. After all, he did work on Randi's weapons, right?"

His only response was heavy breathing from Terran. He had drifted off.

"Right..." Claude said to himself, throwing his hands behind his head and falling back onto the hay. He might as well try to get some sleep.

The others felt the same way and prepared for a well earned night of rest. Dae leaned over from the bed and blew the candles on the dresser out, casting the room into darkness, the only light provided now by the torches in the hallway outside of the room.

"Goodnight everyone," she whispered before turning over and wrapping herself into the blankets.

* * *

Niko was the first to hear it.

Voices. Lots of them.

They were too muffled to make out any words but there were indeed many of them. He had listened to them long enough to pick up a pattern.

They would always start with two voices. Perhaps two friends deep in discussion. Then a third and fourth voice would jump in. Soon, they were competing with each other, and the chaos would begin when several more voices entered the fray in a shouting match. This would last about 30 seconds until someone or something brought order back to the individuals. The process would repeat, with the two voices starting to converse again.

Niko sat up and tried again to make out what was being said, but to no avail. His body movement, however, had alerted the others.

"You hear it too?" Claude asked in a hushed voice.

"And I thought I was the only one that was awakened by them," whispered Dae from her bed.

"It sounds like the dwarves are arguing about something," Terran said in his normal voice, nearly startling everyone. "Are they still having that meeting the elder was talking about? We must have gone to sleep hours ago."

"Do they argue a lot?" Niko asked.

"No, very rarely." Terran sounded a bit distressed. It had become clear that he didn't like the sound of the dwarves fighting. "I'm going to find out what all the noise is about," he said hurriedly, jumping out of the straw bed. He scurried to the door and flung it open, spilling flickering light into the room from the torches just outside. The others traded glances before following him through the hallway, around a bend and to a room positioned next door to their own.

Terran took a deep breath, gripped the door knob and opened it. The voices inside started to falter as all eyes turned to the entering party.

There were several tables placed next to each other to form a semi-circle around the room. In the center of the room within full view of the dwarves were Friki and Geri, tied to chairs.

"Terran!" The elder said quickly, jumping up from his seat. "You should be resting for tomorrow. All of you!" He emphasized to Claude, Dae, and Niko as they filed into the room after Terran.

"Elder...what's going on? Why are the wolves still here!?" A lump formed in Terran's throat, he was on the verge of outrage. He had thought that when the wolves were 'taken care of' by the dwarves, it meant that they had been ejected from Gaia's Navel. "They shouldn't be here! They're dangerous!"

"They're restrained," a gruff voice commented from the side of the entrance. Two dwarves carrying heavy axes were standing guard.

"These wolves entered our home, pushed us around, and had the audacity to even think about taking the seed!" One dwarf at the far end of the table shouted. The voice was familiar, one of the more heated participants they had heard back in their room. "I think we at least have the right to question them about why they came down here!"

"But they already told us," Dae said. "In the palace. They said that they were going to use the seed to protect their pack." Friki shot her a look she couldn't make out while Geri remained motionless.

"At our expense!?" the dwarf on the end screamed once again. "How _dare_ they! They must be punished! We must teach them a lesson about invading our homes!" Several other dwarves let out cries of agreement. The elder slammed a gavel onto the table to bring order back to the room.

"We are a **peaceful** race," the elder emphasized in a slow, calm voice. He was determined to bring rational thinking back to the discussion anytime it wasn't there. "The initial threat has been dealt with, there is no need to take it to such extremes. We have maintained a mantra of peace with other races for years and now is not the time to go against it!"

"But haven't they already crossed that line!?" A shrill dwarf cried. "And to think that we treated the few poisoned by the palace monsters with herbs! Why!?_ We should have let them rot!_"

"If what Ms. Ripple says is true, then what they have done is understandable on some level," the elder said, making eye contact with Dae. "These past few weeks have been hard times for all, they just chose a wrong and very reckless path to protect themselves."

"But is that really what they were doing?" Claude asked. "I mean, it sounds like it at first, but going down into the Underground Palace put all those wolves in danger. Not just because we came to stop them but because of all the monsters down there. Why would a leader do that? Who would you protect if everyone died trying to get the seed?"

Friki looked like he was ready to respond but Geri whispered something that closed his maw as quickly as it had opened.

"And he said something about one of his subordinates, he called him a 'useless sack of meat,' I think," Claude recited. "That doesn't really sound like a caring leader to me."

"Actually, I think he called him a ' lump of muscle with a small brain'," Terran interjected.

"Whatever. It's not like it was a compliment."

"While those may be valid points Mr. Augario, it's not our place to tell the wolves how to run their packs," the elder responded, looking sternly toward the two wolves, "So long as they don't interfere with our quality of life again."

"Is that all you have to say!?" The shrill dwarf screamed again. "These wolves are clearly MONSTERS, they don't even care about themselves! What's to say they won't come back and try again!?" He started another uproar and those feeling the same way all began shouting their fears and doubts at the elder. Order was brought again by the bangs of the gavel, the elder keeping his cool throughout.

"I have faith." A simple statement that kept everyone quiet. "I have faith. In these children here. In the wolves. And in the Goddess." He rose from his seat and began to walk around the tables as he continued, "You see, these wolves have never tried something like this before. It's why I firmly believe that they won't come back. It's not in their nature to do this, and its nearly cost several of their lives. If they truly wish to preserve their pack, they won't pull a stunt like this again."

He stopped ahead of the quartet and looked them over carefully."You children have a big day tomorrow, it's best if you return to your slumber while we dwarves figure this out. This is not your problem anymore." He made direct eye contact with Terran, who reluctantly nodded before leading the others out.

* * *

She couldn't stand the wait, but she couldn't risk going back in.

Nikki was as on edge as the rest of the wolves, standing in the lowest area of Gaia's Navel in the light of dawn. While they had been released and some even treated, two of their own were inexplicably kept. While she had a hunch on what the dwarves wanted from them, it still hurt to know that there was little she could do to kelp Friki.

The dwarves were not known to be violent, but some of them had seemed beyond furious about the incident. She didn't want to think that their caring nature had suddenly changed into wrath. Wrath enacted upon two for the entirety of the pack's actions. And they couldn't march back down there. After all, several of the dwarves had armed themselves to the teeth just to enter the Underground Palace. Who was to say that they weren't waiting for a possible counterattack?

She had to admit though, it wasn't a complete disaster...after all, she secretly enjoyed seeing Kaiser and Talek cope with being knocked down a few notches by human children. But she still couldn't help that sinking feeling...

And, in an instant, her fears had been put to rest. Climbing out from behind the falls were the ones who had been the subject of their thoughts for so long. It was surreal to her, maybe the direct contrast of of Friki's dark coat and Geri's white fur, or fatigue settling in as she had been up all night. But she wasted no time as she met Friki in an embrace.

Normally, Friki wouldn't want to hear it. But he said, in a low, almost playful tone, "Go on. Say it."

Nikki wore a wry grin. "Told you so."

They both had a chuckle, and the wolves began to leave Gaia's Navel for new pastures.

"So what do we do now?" She asked.

"We live," Friki replied. "As long as we have the present, we can figure out the future."

"...I'm okay with that," Nikki said, pleased to be back with the one she loved. And together they followed the rest of the pack back into the depths of the Lower Lands with the faint sense that they may have come across the force that would grant them a secure future.

* * *

"How do you like them?" The elder asked, though he got his answer from their elated faces.

"When did you...? HOW did you..?" Claude patted down his new vest. The snug fit made him feel more protected.

"I really got a good look at some of your conditions at the meeting and noticed just how battle worn you appeared, or rather your clothing...or whatever strands of thread that were left around the neck for some of you," he said, eying Niko in particular.

"Hey, thanks elder guy," Niko said cheerily. "My old shirt was getting kind of...musky."

"This vest is thicker and studier than my old one," Claude thought aloud. "It almost feels like light armor."

The elder chuckled; he didn't know how close he was. "Well we do have a shop here that sells some armor, which doesn't get much use considering our secret society and all...I thought it was the least we could do after what happened with the wolves. It only took some minor adjustments for the both of you."

"I'm almost jealous," Dae said playfully as she admired Claude's new blue vest.

"Well Ms. Ripple, I think we may have a rabite cap or two."

Dae thought of herself strutting into the Water Palace with the yellow rabite cap firmly atop her head. "...no thanks."

Terran had been eying the new clothes as well, but wasn't quite as impressed as Dae. "You didn't by any chance slip some mushboom powder into Claude and Niko's new clothes, did you?" He asked, throwing an accusing glare right towards the elder.

"Oh, of course not! Even I realize that now is not the time for pranks, Terran." Sounding hurt, the elder turned his back.

Terran folded his arms. "But I'm sure you thought about it," he muttered under his breath.

"...I did think about it." A wry grin crept along his beard. Niko suddenly wanted to grab his old shirt, even if it was falling apart.

"I'm going to stop taking up your time. I do believe Watts wanted to see you," the elder said, giving them all a curious glance from the side. "Don't leave the village too quickly, though. We have to give you a proper send off." As he started to waddle out of the room, Niko appeared behind him in a flash and grabbed one shoulder.

"Wait!" He cried. The elder turned around with a knowing look. "Friki and Geri. Are they...still here?"

"We released them early this morning. They returned to their pack, who were undoubtedly waiting for them above. We ejected the females while you were in the palace and released their wounded after treating them."

It wasn't quite the closure he was looking for from that brief part of his life, but he didn't have a choice. At the least, he had learned something from his experience living with the wolves, and was perhaps better prepared for more challenges in life because of it. Without a doubt, he had an impact on that pack that wouldn't be forgotten anytime soon, and vice versa.

Niko was brought back to reality when Terran brushed past him and towards the door. The elder had already left.

"C'mon, let's see Watts," Terran uttered quickly. "And don't forget to bring your weapons." He led them out of the room and across the village. The dwarves were out and performing their daily duties as if the attack from the day before never occurred. It brought a smile to Terran's face knowing that their hard work to defend the seed paid off and preserved the village.

They entered Watts' workshop and were greeted with the usual activity: a clanging hammer and low glow from the lava. Watts turned towards them with Terran's spear in hand, the spearhead shining white hot.

"You're working on it already?" Terran asked with a small sinking feeling in his gut. Watts was a great blacksmith, something he knew very well being a student of his and all. But that spear was precious to him, and he couldn't help but feel like there was the slight chance of something going wrong.

Watts lifted the protective visor and pointed towards the spearhead. "Look closely," he stated. They looked, but nothing happened. The spearhead continued to glow as it had when they entered.

"Okay, it's glowing from the heat," Claude said, slightly disappointed.

"What are we supposed to be looking at again?" Dae asked, feeling a bit silly.

"Yer lookin' at it! The spear's been glowin' this way for the past several minutes. I've seen this reaction before."

"My Memento Spear? What's wrong with it?" Terran's voice started to crack with concern.

"Wrong? Terran! Boy! Don't you know what this is!? A MANA weapon!" Watts passed the spear to Terran, who held it in disbelief.

"**My** spear is a mana weapon...?"

"How can you be sure?" Niko asked, looking over the spear.

"I've worked on mana weapons before, and I can prove it to ya!" Watts grabbed his hammer and they all noticed for the first time that it held a similar, mystical glow. "The mana in that spear is affectin' my hammer, and they should react to each other." Watts held the hammer out to the spear and they both became brighter. It wasn't the only reaction he got, though.

"My hands are glowing too!" Niko's gloves engulfed his hands in light.

Dae had a hunch and pulled her Chobin's Bow from her backpack. It too held a warm glow.

Terran glanced between the weapons but was still at a loss. He tried to recall a hint or moment where the spear's true identity was revealed to him beforehand, but couldn't. He simply went back into his past in an attempt to find one.

"My mom never told me the spear was a mana weapon. If she knew, she kept it a secret," he said.

"Well yer mom left ya quite the memento!" Watts was excited. He wasn't quite sure why, but seeing mana weapons again made him nostalgic.

"Well, the spear belonged to my father. I wonder if he knew...I think it's been in my family for generations." Terran shrugged. "I guess there's no way of tracing."

"Hmph, maybe there's somethin' to this chosen business after all," Watts said to himself. "The four of ya have mana weapons. Yer quite a force."

"Not me," Claude said quietly.

"But Claude, look!" Dae shrieked and pointed to his side. It was now Claude's turn to gawk as he unsheathed the glowing blade.

"When...when did this happen?" He could only respond. "It's not possible. This was some old rusty sword I got from a store that closed last year. It even had a crack in it until Lumina..."

"Claude, did Lumina touch the sword?" Dae asked.

"He fixed it when I was sleeping, before I left Gold City."

She had gone back into thinking mode. "I have a theory...that some of Lumina's mana may have binded to the weapon in the process, slowly but surely turning your sword into a mana weapon. But like I said, it's just a theory. Maybe we should check with Luka when we get back to the Water Palace."

Claude smiled at the reality that he possessed a mana weapon, and was happier than ever that he initially defied his parents to buy a sword in the first place. Watts was right, they _were_ a force, and the wolves were just a few of those that would taste what they could really do.

"I don't want to mess around too much more with yer mana weapons without the proper materials," Watts said, getting their attention."If ya ever find any mana orbs and want yer weapons upgraded, bring 'em to me! I'll show you the true potential of mana weapons and they'll morph before yer very eyes."

"Um...mana orbs?" Niko thought aloud. He looked around, hoping he wasn't the only one confused.

"Mana orbs are the pure essence of mana in solid form," Dae informed him. "Sometimes they're called weapon orbs too. If you merge them with mana weapons, they become stronger and transform through the will of mana and the blacksmith. They can usually be found within places or objects with high concentrations of mana."

"Ya know quite a bit, young lady," Watts complimented.

"Thank you," Dae said with a semi-bow, it was the first time that she had been given praise for her knowledge and hoped that her male companions would take note and do the same once in awhile.

"I believe the elder wanted to see ya!" Watts said.

"Oh, that's right. He said not to leave yet," Terran thought, his eyes finally leaving his spear. "Let's go find out what he wanted."

They started to leave the workshop and Watts helped. Terran started to find it odd that his mentor was pushing them out so quickly, and finally realized it when they stepped back into the village.

"Goooooodbye!!"

Terran physically jerked backwards and nearly toppled over from the surprise. They were surrounded by all the dwarves of the village, the elder in the center bearing what looked like gifts.

"You didn't think we'd let you go off on some long journey and not give you the proper send off, did you?" He said in a mock reprimanding tone.

Terran wanted to speak but instead turned his head to the side. Niko leaned forward to get a better look and noticed that he seemed on the verge of tears.

"You didn't have to do all of this," he murmured, his large frame shuddering.

Watts patted him on the back. "Of course we did!"

"But it feels like I'm never coming back..." Terran muttered as the elder placed several items into Dae's backpack, ranging from food to a Cup of Wishes. The girl was ecstatic at the sight.

"We were running out of supplies!" Dae said as she shut the bag tight, slipped her arms through the straps and hoisted it onto her back.

"Don't be silly, Terran," the elder said. "You will always have a home to come back to and we are your family. Always." Finally, the dwarves converged on the man and began reciting similar notions of family. After all, he had been one of them for nearly ten years, and it would be like losing one of their own – even if temporary.

At last, they let Terran go. He left with a teary-eyed wave, as it was all he could muster without breaking down entirely in front of the dwarves. He followed his friends back through Watts' workshop and up the hidden staircase. He took one more glance over his shoulder and saw the shadow silhouette of his master pulling a lever. There was a mechanical screech followed by the low crunch of cave walls meeting one another once again.

The secret passage had been sealed. For now.

Terran joined his comrades outside of the cave. As they each stepped into the sunny paradise of Gaia's Navel, there were simultaneous attempts to block the full effects of sudden sunlight from their eyes.

Claude and Dae led the trek, the latter looking over her shoulder to see Terran slowly but surely keeping pace. She wanted to say something to comfort him, but was quickly drawn to thoughts of her own family.

"So where are we going?" Niko intervened suddenly, bouncing between and throwing his arms around the two of them.

"Hmm," Claude threw his arms behind his head and stretched, enjoying the light mist of the waterfalls against his back. "There's a cannon around here, right? It shouldn't take that long to get back to the palace then."

"Actually," Dae bit her lower lip, expecting a negative reaction. "I...we...can we take the long way? Back through Pandora? There's something I wanted to do, and I don't think you guys have seen the entire town. Or the castle for that matter."

"A castle!?" Niko was so elated that Dae almost backed away in shock. "Can we go to the castle? Pleeeaaase!"

"Of course! The castle is open to visitors." Dae gave a warm smile, but her stomach churned in contrast. Her reasons for going to Pandora were not of the touring variety, and Claude had caught on to that immediately.

"Sounds like fun," Claude said. "I've never been to a castle before. Is that okay with you Terran?"

There was no response.

"Terran...?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I don't mind," Terran said quickly before returning to his daze.

Claude rolled his eyes. "Terran, you're one of the most emotional men I've ever met."

"Uh...thanks?"

"...that wasn't really a compliment."

_Chapter 14 is written by me and Onslaught. It's actually finished, it just needs a bit of polish before going up.Hopefully that'll be up in a few weeks._


	16. CH 14: The Kingdom of Pandora

Well, here's the latest chapter. It's a bit laid back compared to some of the preceding ones. It was written by myself and Onslaught; I wrote the firs and last sections while Onslaught did everything inbetween.

* * *

**Chapter 14:** _The Kingdom of Pandora_

_By ClaudeLv250 and OnslaughtRM_

The quartet stepped through the wooden gate entrance into the town of Pandora. The two guards immediately recognized Dae by the cerulean locks tied behind her head and greeted her.

Coming in from the western entrance gave a much better view of the town, they were almost completely unaware of the guards from the sight they were allowed to behold. From where they were, they could see that the town itself, while much larger than Kippo, contained mostly medium sized homes ideal for similarly sized families. The town was inadvertently split into subsections by the flowing rivers. And rising in the distance were the pearly white walls of Pandora Castle, majestically reflecting the morning sun upon the town and all it overlooked and protected.

The walk to Dae's house wasn't long as it was close to the first river. Looking around, the only distinctive features were the green drapes and the sea green flowers growing beneath the windows. Niko and Terran would have never been able to find it on their own, and even having visited it before, Claude would have had trouble finding it himself.

"Dae!" A young male called as the door to the house swung open. Renaldo moved so fast that he almost knocked Dae off of her feet, shooting out of the house like lightning.

"Ren, what's wrong?" the girl asked her older brother. He only smiled and grasped her shoulders lightly.

"I was worried when you left yesterday without saying anything. I mean, I understand the way you felt but..." He finally noticed the newcomers in his presence.

"Hey," Claude greeted with a short wave of his hand. But that wasn't who Ren had been focusing on.

"This is Terran and Niko," Dae informed him, stepping aside. "They're Chosen like Claude and I."

Ren didn't want to admit that he wasn't entirely sure what Dae meant by 'Chosen.' He had heard her say it the day she brought Claude with her, and simply assumed that it was something related to Sage Luka.

"You're increasing your ranks pretty fast," he joked, noting the spear on Terran's back. "Pretty soon you'll have an army."

"I hope not. It's a job looking over these three as it is." They shared a chuckle until Dae changed the subject.

"...is mom here?"

"Yeah, she's inside. Dad took Noa out with him a few minutes ago."

"I wanted to talk to her again before I left," she glanced back almost guiltily. "But I told the guys that I would show them around the castle. Do you think you can do it instead?"

"Ah, why not. I have a late shift today anyway."

"You guys don't mind, right?" Dae asked hopefully.

"That's fine with me," Claude said.

"Aw, but I thought you were going to show us around!" Niko whined. Terran quickly nudged him in the ribcage. "What was that for!?"

Terran only nudged him again.

"So we'll meet back here when you guys are done, okay?" Dae checked, standing in the doorway. "But don't take too long. We should get to the Water Palace before nightfall."

They watched her slip into her home, cautiously shutting the door behind her with a slight clunk.

Claude was the first one to comment. "I guess she can be kinda bossy sometimes."

"Ha, you haven't seen the half of it," Ren laughed. "We should get going right now if we don't want to get on her bad side. And I'd like to get to know the guys traveling with my little sister, after all."

* * *

Ren stared at the three comrades with wide eyes. "Werewolves?! Real ones?"

An involuntary shudder crept up Terran's spine, "Ugh, don't remind me…"

"But… I mean, wow. I never thought they interacted with anyone except to defend themselves… or to attack. And you," Ren turned to Niko excitedly, "you were actually in their pack."

"Yeah!" Niko smiled broadly, happy with the attention. "And they really weren't so bad once you got to know them."

"Niko, they tried to kill us all, and almost eliminated the dwarves by taking the… err…" Claude stopped himself before he finished his thought. He trusted Ren, but somehow didn't think that spreading word about their quest was what the mana spirits wanted.

Niko, however, was oblivious to the fact. He shrugged at Claude, "Nobody's perfect. Besides, they didn't get the earth seed, did they?"

Claude winced a little as Niko inadvertently spilled the beans, but Ren was focused on another part of the story. "Wait you've been to see the dwarves too?

Niko nodded, still widely grinning. Terran spoke up, "Sure, that's where I grew up."

Ren was stunned, "Do… do you think you could show me"

"Sorry… the dwarves sealed off the village for now," Terran said with just a little sadness in his voice. "Besides, they're really not big about visitors."

Ren sighed, "Man… you guys have all the fun. How do you become 'chosen' anyway?"

"Well," Niko started, trying to sound intelligent, "A spirit of mana has to choose you, and then you…" Claude abruptly clapped a hand over the fox's mouth, or more accurately held his snout shut.

"What he means is, you can't really try to be chosen, it's sort of a calling." Claude said with a disarming smile.

"Oh… like Dae going with Luka," Ren's disappointment was obvious, but there was also a measure of loneliness to his voice. It seemed like Ren had missed his sister more than he cared to admit.

"Yeah…" Claude was a little ashamed to be dishonest about their quest, but he also wasn't sure how much information the spirits wanted to reveal.

"Mmph-mrr!" Niko's muffled voice vibrated through Claude's hand.

"Oh!" He took his hand off of Niko's snout. "Sorry about that… you okay?

"I it ay ung!" Niko said.

"What?" Claude looked at him quizzically.

"I it ay ung n I ab arp eesh!" Niko could barely speak.

"I can't understand what you're saying Niko," Claude shrugged at his fuzzy friend.

"He's saying that he bit his tongue and he has sharp teeth." Terran said nonchalantly as he spun his spear.

"Mmm!" Niko said, pointing his arm at Terran. Claude looked back at Terran with a questioning expression.

Terran looked over at him, "Have you ever heard the accents of some of the older dwarves? That was nothing."

Ren laughed, apparently feeling better about his situation. "Heh, you three are funny. As far as I'm concerned, my sister is in good company. Oh, here you go." He tossed something small and round at Niko.

"Uts is?" Niko asked, catching it and examining it in his palm. "Nhanhed anee?"

Ren grinned, "No, it's not enchanted. It's just a piece of candy, it should make your tongue feel better."

The four of them continued to Pandora Castle, sharing stories and telling jokes. Ren was right, the candy had helped and soon, Niko was speaking normally again. It wasn't long before they were at the gate. Terran was still spinning his spear, but stopped as he approached. He held behind his back and walked through. Unfortunately the spear was too wide for the door and it caught in the door frame. Terran fell flat on his back, but stood up immediately. "Sorry…" Terran mumbled.

Claude sighed, "Nice one, chosen of earth."

"So!" Ren said, graciously ignoring Terran's fall, "what would you like to see first? There's the kitchen, the armory, the barracks, the…"

"The armory!" exclaimed Claude, thinking of swords.

"The barracks!" exclaimed Niko, thinking of sparring.

"The kitchen!" exclaimed Terran, thinking of lunch.

"Well," Ren said sarcastically. "I'm glad we're in agreement. How about the armory first?"

"Yes!" Claude beamed like the chosen of light that he was, "Lead the way!"

Niko and Terran followed behind, not nearly as excited as Claude. When they arrived Ren delighted in showing all the various swords to Claude, including some of the kingdom's treasure from ages past.

"…and this one is Howl, the Wolf's Bane, used to fight off a hundred werewolves centuries ago. That's Red Bird, the Dragonslayer. Oh, and that's the Drewl…."

The two of them spent some time listening to Ren, but were bored of it pretty quickly. Claude was listening and looking while he enjoyed testing some of the scattered blades. Long swords, short swords, broad swords, great swords, rapiers, katanas, scimitars, even some sword types that did not have names yet. He was loving every second. He never dreamed he would actually have the chance to experiment with so many types of weapons. Claude felt as if his skill was improving, even from just a few minutes of testing another type of blade.

Niko and Terran were interested in the weapons at first, Terran for about 5 minutes, Niko for a little longer. Terran was skilled with his spear, but weapons as a group were not that interesting to him. Niko liked weapons, but he mostly liked fighting with them, not learning about old swords. Besides, he liked hand to hand combat much more. So the two of them found a comfortable place to sit near a window and relaxed.

"How's your wound Niko?" Terran asked, leaning back against the wall and staring out over the calm city of Pandora.

"Much better, thank you!" Niko smiled and imitated Terran's stare over the city.

"You really are overly optimistic, aren't you?" Terran shook his head and chuckled a little.

Niko tilted his head slightly, "That depends…. What does optimistic mean?"

Terran laughed again, "Nevermind Niko, nevermind."

They sat in silence for a while, until Niko suddenly spoke up. "Hey Terran, why aren't you afraid of me?"

A look of confusion appeared on Terran's face. "Huh? Should I be?"

"Well, you're afraid of the wolves, right?" Niko noticed Terran stiffen slightly at the mention of their previous foes. "I'm not really all that different, so why aren't you scared of me too?"

Terran scratched his head, "You know, I'm not really sure. Something about… them, it just…. I don't know. It could be the fur, or the tail, or the claws… or the… fangs……. Or the hungry eyes that stare into your soul…" Terran suddenly screamed out in fear, putting his hands over his face. "Uh, sorry…" He tried to regain his composure.

Niko looked back at him, "Well, I have all of those things, except maybe the eyes. Do my eyes stare into your soul Terran?" Niko stared at Terran.

Terran looked back at him. "No, it looks more like you want your belly rubbed… or someone to get you dinner, I don't know."

Niko leaned back again and looked out the window, "Well, maybe it's the eyes then."

Terran sighed, "Look, can we stop talking about this? I just don't want to talk about it."

Niko sighed back, "Sure," but then he murmured under his breath, "I bet you would have liked Nikki."

Terran looked back at him, "What did you say?"

"I said… Hey! What's that?" Niko had pointed out the window they were standing near. A small speck was visible in the sky, but it was nearly indistinguishable to Terran.

Terran shrugged, "I have no idea… a bird maybe?"

Niko shook his head, "My eyes are better than yours. That's no bird. It's not flapping or anything. Weird…"

"Don't really know. I'm sure it's probably nothing," he continued to look out over Pandora.

"Maybe it's a flying monster coming to attack the city!" Niko said excitedly. "Wouldn't that be fun?"

"Um… no?," Terran said eying the vulpine suspiciously. He sure was eager for a fight. Terran did squint at the speck again, but he still couldn't make anything out.

"Hey guys! You ready?" Ren and Claude were by the door, both apparently had their fill of swords.

"We're heading for the kitchen next!" Red said happily.

"Aw, why is my place last?" Niko asked.

Ren laughed, "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm hungry! The chefs will usually have enough food for a few extra mouths. Besides, I'm close with one of the cooks. She probably has a whole chicken for you."

This was all Niko needed to hear. He, Claude, and Terran followed Ren through the halls. Ren showed off more of the castle on the way, showing a library and several guest rooms, all very royal and rich looking. The group finally did reach the kitchen. Ren's friend was there, and Ren was right, there was enough food for them to eat their fill.

"That was great!" Niko exclaimed after finishing his meal.

Ren smiled, "I'll be sure to tell Lana that you liked her cooking."

Niko burped then leaned back and looked out the window, "Oh, look, it's getting closer."

Ren said, "What's getting closer?"

"The… flying thing," Niko said uncertainly.

"What are you talking about Niko?" Claude asked.

"That thing over there," Niko pointed out the window. "Me and Terran saw it earlier. Terran said that they're normal. See?" Indeed, the flying object had grown larger, from a distant speck to a blob.

Ren wasn't really shocked when he saw it, "It… looks like some kind of bird."

"That's what I said!" Terran exclaimed.

Niko's fuzzy head shook, "I'm telling you, it's not a bird. It's not flapping. I can see it a lot clearer than you."

Claude exasperatedly asked, "Why didn't you tell us as soon as you saw it?"

"Terran told me it was nothing!" Niko exclaimed.

"I said probably! What do I know about things like that? I thought it was normal!" Terran was almost frantically trying to defend himself.

"All right guys, enough!" Claude yelled feeling much like the leader again. "No harm done. Let's not exaggerate either way. Let's just make sure that we talk things out as a group from now on."

Both Terran and Niko nodded at this, then all three went to the window to join Ren in watching the blob slowly grow bigger and bigger. "I don't like it," Claude said. "It's definitely getting closer. It's flying but it's not a bird…"

At that moment, Ren noticed the position of the sun, it seemed to startle him. "Oh, sorry to cut your tour short, but the castle closes to visitors… well, about 10 minutes ago actually. I have to escort you out of the castle. Sorry Niko." Ren truly did look upset.

Niko seemed especially disappointed, but they all left the castle as swiftly as they could. Ren made only one stop at the kitchen, to say goodbye to Lana. He gave her a brief hug and whispered something to her that no one but Niko could make out. The fox smiled a little, but wouldn't tell what he heard.

"A fox knows how to keep secrets," he said.

They finally arrived at the main gate, where an older man nearly ran into Ren.

"Oh, excuse me young man! I'm sorry, I'm in quite the rush. Can you tell me where the throne room is?" the old man asked.

Ren brushed himself off. "It's okay sir. Before I answer your question, perhaps you can answer mine. Your clothes don't make you as a Pandoran. Who are you and what business do you have with the king?" A subtle shift had occurred in Ren's demeanor. Even his voice and pose gave credit to his authority in the castle.

The old man truly did not look typical. He was old, but far from decrepit, and he wore loose hanging robes and sashes. "Please forgive me," he bowed, " I am Sarak, elder of Kakkara. I have traveled alone a great distance, by whatever means possible. Even cannon travel," At this he stretched and his back gave a loud crack. "Now please, where is the throne room? I must speak with the king on a matter of grave importance. It is for his ears only."

"Elder Sarak, if that is truly who you are, would know that it the king requires an appointment. Unless of course, there is some emergency." Ren responded.

"Yes, an emergency!" Sarak exclaimed.

Ren looked curiously at the old man, "Sir, I am afraid that I cannot show you the throne room without more information than that."

Sarak sighed, "Lord Elman has disappeared."

Terran had to interject, "Elman? You mean the father of Purim, the Mana Heroine?"

Sarak nodded, "The same. If all else had been well, I would not be so concerned, but word has reached us even in Kakkara about the attack on Potos. And the return of the monsters is impossible to ignore…"

Ren shook his head, " Sir, if you are Elder Sarak, why are you alone? I have never known any village leader to travel so far by themselves, especially in as dangerous a time as this."

"My people pretend that this is no matter. They delude themselves that all is well. It is not their fault. They have… other concerns," Sarak looked grim and paused for a moment before continuing. "Many are too weak to make the trip, others too stubborn, and others unwilling to leave their loved ones. I could not ask any of them to travel me. Not even Lady Purim is…" Sarak bowed his head. "Please, Pandora is my last hope."

"It is too much of a coincidence Ren. Too much is happening all at once. Randi has been attacked too. I saw it with my own eyes." Claude said.

Ren finally relented, nodding his head at Sarak. "Very well. I apologize for my doubt Elder, but we are living in unusual times."

"It's quite all right son," the elder said, "but please, the throne room?"

"Yes, of course. I will escort you." He began walking deeper into the castle with Elder Sarak. "Meet me outside the castle, I will be right back."

"Thank you! A pleasure to meet you all!" Sarak said as he walked off with Ren.

"Nice meeting you!" Niko called back cheerily, his voice drowning out Claude's and Terran's farewells as he waved.

Sarak's gaze lingered on Niko for a moment with faint… recognition? Sarak's expression only lasted a moment, then it, and he, were gone.

"What was that about?" Niko asked his friends.

"What?" Terran said.

Niko looked uncomfortable, "The way he looked at me, it was… weird."

"You're just imagining things Niko. Don't worry about it. I'm more concerned about the disappearance of Lord Elman," Claude said.

The three Chosen walked outside. "Do you really think that the attack on Potos and Elman's disappearance are connected?" Terran asked Claude.

Claude signed in response, "I can't be certain, but there have been too many unusual mana related events recently. I can't believe the disappearance of the father of the Heroine of Mana is just a coincidence. There's something going on out there."

"Are you saying we should go to Kakkara?" Niko wasn't sure how he felt about that. Kakkara wasn't a terribly long distance from home…

Claude shook his head, "I don't know… there's a lot we still don't understand. I think we should head back for Luka's as soon as possible."

Terran stretched his arms behind his head, "I sure will miss Pandora's cooking. Dwarven food is okay, but Lana's was delicious."

Before either of his friends could agree, Ren appeared from the castle gate. "Come on, we need to get you three back home, this castle is completely chaotic at the moment."

Niko suddenly tensed himself, "Did you feel that?"

"Feel what?" Terran yawned lazily. It was obvious the chaos in the castle wasn't a huge concern of his.

"We need to go! Hurry!" Niko started running off toward the Ripple home.

Claude waved after him, "Hey! Niko!" and started running after him, Terran and Ren close behind. They were nearly back when the ground beneath their feet started to move.

"What is going on?!" Ren screamed over the noise of the quake as he began to cross the final bridge leading home. The sky suddenly went dark. It was a relief to everyone to see Dae standing outside with her family.

"…and just what the hell is that thing?!" Ren cried.

* * *

Hours earlier, Dae stood silently in the threshold. She had been standing there for minutes debating in her mind if she was doing the right thing. The butterflies in her stomach were churning more now than before, where she had tried her best to hide it from her brother and comrades.

She bit her lower lip and quickly jerked her head, looking to the couch to the right. It had become a routine since she stepped in and combated the notion of just leaving and catching up with the others at the castle. Every time she thought she reached a decision, she would quickly fall back to indecisiveness with a quick turn of her head. To any onlooker, it would have appeared that she were watching a heated debate among two invisible chobin hoods, rather than the effects of the war within.

Dae nearly cried out in satisfaction when she reached her final decision. _'What am I afraid of? She is my mother...'_ she thought. _'She'll have to accept this one way or another.'_

Movement in the kitchen interrupted her thoughts. With the only other person in the house being the person she had been seeking, she took a deep breath and slowly drew towards the kitchen.

"Mother." She spoke softly, looking onward to strikingly similar hair. Florice quickly looked over her shoulder, but the natural veil of blue could not hide the anguish and relief she experience.

"Dae..."

"Mother, I..."

They spoke simultaneously, and fell into an uncomfortably long silence as one allowed the other to speak. Florice was the first to act, but instead of speaking her mind, she held Dae lightly and guided her to the dining room table, where they both sat down.

"Dae, I'm sorry if I chased you away."

"No, mom. There were things Claude and I needed to do yesterday."

Florice looked down, straighting the small wrinkles out of her pink dress. "You know, I always imagined that if you brought a boy home, it would be because you were going to tell your father and me that you liked him. Not that you were off to slay monsters with him."

"I'm still going," Dae said flatly. She could feel the breaking point; the point where what the other had to say didn't matter anymore.

Florice felt it as well and attempted to speak in a lighter tone. "I didn't think I would convince you not to. It's just that I already don't see you enough as it is, Dae."

Dae protested without a second thought. "But mother, my sage training is no trivial thing."

"I know, Dae. I've come to accept that. But what of this sudden _quest?_ How dire can it be? Was all not well ten years ago?" It seemed that Florice had been asking herself these questions moreso than her daughter.

"Mother, give me your hand and I'll show you how serious this quest is."

Florice looked into Dae's stony expression for a moment and complied.

Dae laid her own hand atop her mother's palm. She concentrated, remembering the words of Undine.

Florice swore she saw a soft blue glow, but the new sensation she felt in her hand had taken precedence. The temperature dropped considerably and she watched with amazement as chilled air escaped from their grasps until she felt something plop into her palm.

Finally, Dae removed her hand, revealing a diamond-shaped crystal of ice shining in the sunlight from the open drapes. Florice brought the crystal closer, watching the cold mist surrounding it dissipate from her palm.

"...y-you know magic!?" She stuttered awkwardly. Dae nodded. "Did Luka teach you this...?"

"Actually, no. It was Undine," Dae informed her solemnly. "I was chosen by her. Claude was chosen by Lumina, and a few other friends I've met along the way are also chosen. We are the sole bearers of their highest form of honors. To give you an idea, the last time the Elementals had chosen single people to represent their power was so long ago that it's lost to the history books."

Florice gaped a bit. "What in Goddess's name could be so important that they would have to bestow such power on children? Is this related to the increase in monster activity?"

"Well..." Dae trailed off, wondering about how much to divulge to her mother. "A lot of it is speculation between Sage Luka and the Elementals. But we do know for sure that the Mana Knight was recently attacked in Potos."

Florice nodded. "...so that's what happened." She saw the way Dae had been eying her, most likely due to her reaction, or lack thereof. "Some of the refugees from Potos are staying in the castle. For the most part, everyone's been quiet and it was suggested that Potos was just the target of random monster violence. But from the description of the attack, it was too precise and devastating not to have a real purpose."

It was Dae's turn to nod. "Whoever was responsible seems to have some sort of terrible, malevolent power. If he could stand to the Sword of Mana..."

Florice released a long sigh. Dae stiffened; she may have doomed her only chances to win her mother over by telling too much. But she was surprised by the response she got.

"I understand," Florice stated simply. She hid her face. "You must think I'm a terrible mother. Everyone believed in you but me."

"No, mother! I perfectly know how you felt, it's just that..."

"Luka's been training you to be the next sage for all these years. Then Undine gives you the gift of the water element. There's even Claude traveling by your side. Everyone's encouraging you to become something larger than life, and here I am trying to keep you at home, and hold you in my arms like a frightened child. But in reality, it was I who was frightened."

Dae got up and went over to comfort her mother. "It's only natural for a mother to be worried about her child," she whispered, touching her shoulders.

"But I understand now, Dae. I won't hold you back any longer."

They embraced, mother and daughter, having finally reached an understanding. Florice admitted that she'd still worry and wish Dae were at home, but not actually try to prevent her from living her life, wherever it took her.

What was once a tense conversation turned into gossip and chitchat. Dae described some of her new friends while also telling tales of where they had been the past day (leaving out some of the more frightening details, of course). Florice provided her own tales, telling of what the family had been doing, as well as some details about the Potos refugees. At first, she had simply glossed over the Potos incident, but Dae found herself more intrigued and actually requested more details.

"Well, they sent soldiers to Potos right after it happened. Ren even wanted to go, but I wasn't having that," she said, giving Dae a knowing smirk.

"Anything of interest?" Dae prodded. "Nothing else happened in Potos that I don't know about, right?"

"Not as far as I know," Florice said, grasping a cup of freshly prepared Gaia's Tea, a tea composed of nectar and herbs found only near Gaia's Navel. "But some of the refugees were so spooked by the attack that they have refused to return."

"They're staying here permanently?"

Florice took a sip of the tea. "I have no idea. I wouldn't really blame them if they did." She set the tea down, smiling at the simplistic nature of their conversation. Of course, it was something she longed for every few weeks.

"This is nice," she finally spoke after a short silence.

"Yes," Dae agreed, nodding. Her expression changed quickly. "Mother – do you hear that?"

"Hmm?" It wasn't the sound that caught Florice's attention, but the cup, the table, the furniture. Everything. What started as a low rumble began to upset the Ripple household, the table had began vibrating so violently that the tea cup had almost toppled over.

The two women stood suddenly as Dae tried to put together this phenomenon. "What!? I don't understand! Where in the goddess's name could a quake come from!? We protected the seed!"

The room was suddenly cast under a veil of darkness. A quick glance to the windows confirmed that the rest of the town was experiencing it as well. Without a doubt, something had blotted out the warm rays of the sun.

Dae was the first to move to the door, with her mother right on her heels. She was tempted to reach for her bow, but felt silly. Anything large enough to block the sun would most likely be immune to some puny arrows.

Before they reached the door, it had flung inward. They were both suddenly relieved by the forms of Nathan and Noa Ripple.

"Dae!!" Noa screamed, rushing into the arms of his sister.

"Dae, what are you...?" Nathan dropped his question and grabbed his wife; it simply wasn't important. "Well, I'm just glad the both of you are safe."

"Dad, what's going on!?" Dae hollered over the panic coming from outside.

"I'm not sure!" the older man replied. Dae led them outside and looked to the sky like so many others in Pandora.

A large mechanical structure had parked itself directly above the town. It was a metallic gray and oblong in shape, save for the front end which converged into a 'nose' of sorts, most likely the area where steering occurred. Steam periodically poured out of its sides while glistening green crystals were placed on key points of the outer shell, pulsating steadily.

The advanced blend of mana and technology resembled something that had terrorized the world once before: the Mana Fortress. Not quite as large, but still menacing.

"Just what the hell is that thing!?" Ren cried, running across a nearby bridge with Claude, Niko and Terran.

Dae had once again felt relief upon seeing those she cared about safe. She didn't like what she had to say, though.

"It's...an airship."


	17. CH 15: Metallic Skies

_This is the final chapter of the first 'arc' of the story. The arc ends with a bang!  
_

* * *

**Chapter 15:** _Metallic Skies  
By ClaudeLv250_

"Did you say an 'airship'!?" Ren screamed, gawking between Dae and the flying structure occupying the skies of Pandora. "Weren't those things lost with the ancient civilization? Dae, now is not the time to be joking!"

"Well, it's a ship and it is in the air..." Niko commented, looking above with everyone else. "I don't think she's joking."

"Do you have a better idea?" Dae retorted. Ren lightly shook his head, still in shock.

"This...is crazy!" Claude was unsure of what to do. He held a hand on his sword's grip even though he felt it was useless. "What are we going to do? We don't know how to deal with an airship!"

"Perhaps we should figure out what it's doing here first," suggested Sarak. The Kakkara official had finally arrived with several of Pandora's armed soldiers, his sudden presence turning several heads.

"Wait a minute...the center of the ship!" Dae thought aloud. They all turned to her and then back to the flying artifact.

"Oh...I see it!" Terran announced excitedly. "...What am I seeing again?" He pointed to the round blue object in the center of airship. It began to pulsate like the mana crystals installed on the ship until it emitted a dull blue light onto one house in the town below.

"Did you see _that?_" Niko asked, looking around frantically.

Terran nodded, his demeanor in complete contrast to Niko's. "Yeah, the light looks like it's on one house."

Dae gasped suddenly, realization striking her. "That's somewhere around Purim's house!"

"You don't think that this is related to Elman's disappearance?" Sarak asked the soldiers around him. They were too stupefied to respond.

"Wait, Purim's father disappeared?" Dae frowned. This was too much information to take in at one time. First the airship, now Purim's father. She wasn't a personal acquaintance of Elman, but she certainly knew him by his reputation at the castle. "We need to check this out!"

She had surprisingly taken off between two houses and towards the light. Realizing who had gone by, her comrades followed behind her soon afterwards, as did her curious family.

The soldiers, protectors of Pandora, had been outpaced by a civilian girl. The organized shuffle of armor and weapons sounded as the soldiers got into formation and headed to the source of the commotion themselves.

The light was faint, but it was definitely centered onto Purim's house when Dae arrived, A circle of horrified Pandorans watched the house, as if an invisible barrier repelled them. No one wanted to take their chances and get too close to the light.

Dae gulped and moved towards the house. "Purim!" She shouted while banging against the door. "Anyone!?"

"Looks like we might have to break it down," concluded Terran from behind her.

"Can you do that?"

Terran stretched his right arm and rotated it in a winding motion. "No problem! Claude, Niko, stand back."

They quickly moved off to the side, as did Dae, but not for the reason he had thought.

"Hey!" Was all he could cry as he was recklessly tossed aside by a group of six soldiers.

"This is castle business!" One of them barked harshly. Two soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder before charging the door. It easily collapsed into the dark confines of the residence. The four remaining soldiers filed inside quickly and efficiently.

"Hey, not without us!" Dae declared, entering shortly afterwards with Niko.

Claude grabbed the dazed Terran. "C'mon!" he yelled, pulling Terran behind him.

They were met with the sight of a body on the floor. Dae knelt down to the old man as the soldiers surrounded them. Administering first aid was not their forte.

"He's still alive," Dae whispered assuringly, and all in the room felt the relief of a mental sigh.

"She...he's got..." the old man attempted to speak hoarsely. Dae attended to the drying blood from his head wound.

"Elman? Don't worry, I have healing magic." Dae could feel some of the stares her words brought.

"Sir, where is your daughter?" One of the soldiers finally asked.

"Purim...he has Purim upstairs..." Elman coughed. The soldiers wasted no time and headed towards the staircase. As the first soldier reached the top, a loud crack sounded and a bolt of lightning shot about, bouncing off of a wall and coursing through its unfortunate victims. A portion of the staircase was blown away in splinters as the bolt ricocheted into the opposite wall on the first floor, incinerating the wood and leaving a smoking hole to the outside world. The soldiers rested in a steaming heap at the foot of the stairs, paralyzed by the spell.

"What the hell was that!" Terran shrieked; his body finally reacted to the sudden danger by leaping as far away from it as possible, nearly toppling furniture over in the process.

"Was that somebody's spell?" Niko got a good whiff of the charred clothing and wood. They all did. "Those guys didn't stand a chance!"

Elman grabbed Dae to get her attention, pulling lightly on her robe. "Help her...!"

"Don't worry about him Dae," Ren said, appearing through the doorway. He quickly moved in, taking over for Dae. "He obviously wants you to help his daughter." He helped the older man rise to his feet by supporting his weight.

"Just...make sure he gets some help, okay?" Dae pleaded. Ren nodded as he and Elman limped back out.

"Dae, let's go," Claude whispered, and they all moved together quickly to the foot of the stairs. There was the possibility of another jolt of lightning waiting for them at the top, but it was a risk they would have to take. For Purim.

Claude started the trip, avoiding the freshly burned away stairs. When he reached the top, he was in the single room of the second floor: a bedroom. He spotted Purim, tied to a wooden chair, and an armored man standing with his back towards him.

By the time the man had taken notice, they all had entered the room. He slowly turned about, his purple cape flowing to one side ominously. Claude expected to see the sinister face of a familiar evil. What he saw was a culprit he did not recognize at all.

The man was clad in a silver breastplate and greaves, wearing a purple shirt and pants underneath. Tucked to the side and underneath his cape were the signs of a large sword. Atop his head was untamed purple hair, a particular strand straying from the rest and leaning over his forehead. His face twisted in disgust.

"Is this their last defense? _Children?_" He uttered pretentiously.

Purim suddenly became livid. "What are you doing here!? Go! Get away!" She thrashed about and her blonde hair was thrown into a mess, but the restraints held her tightly.

"We were looking for you," Dae told her, never letting her eyes off of the man, and gripping her bow tighter than ever.

"You let her go right now!" Terran demanded, but he went rigid when the man snickered and the air in the room became tense. The man was ready to make his move.

He reached back towards his sword. Claude lowered his stance and gripped his own blade. But what the man pulled out baffled them all: a small, gray oval device with several buttons on it.

"I don't have time for you," he muttered quickly, swinging his back to them and turning to Purim instead. "We leave, now," he said in more of a commanding tone, swiftly pressing the button.

"You're not going anywhere!" Claude cried, leading a fruitless assault. The room was instantly hit with a blinding blue light, and then came the sudden and strange feeling known was weightlessness. It was over in seconds when they hit the ground.

Terran was the first one up, and he stole the words right out of all of their mouths.

"What **is** this place!?"

They were in a large room of metal. The floor, ceiling, walls, all lined with a hard metal and moving parts of machinery. They were standing on a platform suspended above the mechanical palace, and on each end was a mana crystal hooked to a whirring machine.

Niko pressed a hand against one of the crystals, testing it. It was warm to the touch, right through his glove. The green light inside the crystal danced and shifted slowly like moving liquid.

"Are these really mana crystals?" Claude inquired, not wanting to touch it himself. Dae jumped at a chance to solve the problem, visually examining the crystal Niko had touched.

"These crystals are all shaped similarly. They're actually finely cut and shaped roughly like diamonds. I mean, they're the exact same shape and size down to exact measurements from what I can see. It's like they were manufactured..."

"Manufactured? Can anyone _make_ artificial mana crystals?" Claude wanted to be skeptical, but was finding it hard in such a place.

"Uh, guys. I think the crystals are the least of our problems," Terran whined, holding his spear in a defensive position.

"Dammit, the warp radius must have been set too wide," a familiar, icy voice muttered from the other end of the platform. It was the purple haired man again, and this time his sword was at the ready.

It was a long, wide sword with a slightly serrated blade and a split running all the way down its center. In the sword's guard and into the flat of the blade, was embedded an ominous black jewel. The sword's lifeless gray color made it look at home in the airship, as if it were once part of the machine.

"What did you do with Purim?" Dae demanded with her bow in her grasp once again. The man made no effort to answer.

"Do you control this airship? Are you behind everything?" Claude pondered. The man chuckled and held his sword up in an offensive stance. "I guess you are," he concluded, holding his own sword up.

"No!" Purim shrieked from the far side of the platform. She still sat tied to the wooden chair on a narrow pathway leading towards a glass door. "Do NOT fight Sheex! Get out of here with your lives while you still can. He's just too powerful!"

"Sheex...?" Dae repeated blankly. "Why does that sound so familiar...?"

"I have no problem spilling the blood of children. Come, if you wish." Sheex smirked and made a beckoning motion with his free hand.

"You'll wish you never invited your demise!" Claude led the charge with Niko and Terran right on his heels. Dae stood back, preparing an arrow for the right time to strike.

Claude had felt negative tension from the man ever since they had encountered him in Purim's house. It was a sort of cold, sinking feeling he couldn't describe, as if there was more to his appearance and demeanor than what any of them could possibly imagine. With that uncertainty in mind, he had made the decision long before the actual attack to strike hard and fast with his _Jump Slash_ technique.

He let out a war cry as he leapt high off the ground of metal and circuitry, flipping once and holding the Broad Sword above his head before bringing it down with all of his strength, will, and power in a two handed slash.

Sheex anticipated the attack, grasping his sword with both hands and meeting Claude's attack with his own. The two blades locked with Claude in midair, astonished at what little progress he had made. The casual, almost bored look upon his enemy's face suggested that his technique did little, and even as he pressed against Sheex's lethal sword, he had made no headway.

Then he noticed the sudden glint in Sheex's eye, and the negative vibe he had felt before increased tenfold for a fraction of a second. Sheex made a swiping motion with his own sword, and Claude was blown away with such force in an instant.

Niko and Terran stopped in their tracks, dumbfounded by Claude's sudden reverse in course as he soared over them. Dae was caught between a gasp and a scream when she realized he was heading towards an end of the platform and to the unknown depths below, until he rolled to a stop. The Broad Sword slid a few feet away from him.

"Claude! Claude are you alright?" Dae sputtered, running over to him and grabbing his sword in the process. "Do you need to be healed?"

"No," Claude said groggily, sitting up quickly. "I'm just a little disoriented. He used some kind of invisible shockwave..." He looked to Sheex sharply with a newfound hatred. The movement startled Dae. "You! I remember now, you're the one that attacked Randi! And Potos!"

Sheex's cocky smirk changed into subtle rage. "The Mana Knight!! You know where he is? Tell me if you value your lives!" He roared, swinging his sword in anger.

"That would be quite a feat considering that no one knows where he is," Claude replied, then chuckled to himself. He took a small bit of satisfaction from knowing that Sheex couldn't get what he wanted. At least, not anytime soon.

Sheex looked as if he had reached his boiling point. And without warning, he brushed the lone strand of hair from his face and laughed it off. "No matter, with an airship under my command his whereabouts will be discovered eventually."

Terran whispered something quickly to Niko, who nodded back as confirmation. Using the distraction, Terran dashed in for the kill, thrusting his spear forward. Sheex sidestepped with lightning reflexes, and took a leap backwards when Terran followed up by swinging in a wide arc.

Sheex swatted away another strike with one hand and jabbed his sword forward. Terran barely missed being impaled when he pivoted, but Sheex gave chase and made another slash. Terran held the spear vertically and caught the sword, altering its course just enough so that it only grazed his side.

Niko suddenly leapt in over Terran and planted his shin into Sheex's chest. Their adversary moved back by a step but was unhurt; the chestplate had absorbed the attack. Both Niko and Terran suddenly felt a dark presence, and the sword Sheex held was covered in a deep dark purple aura for a split second before he slammed it against the ground.

Another shockwave had been released, but its effect was not as powerful since neither of Sheex's targets were too close at the moment of impact. Niko and Terran had backed off with as a cautionary maneuver.

"What the heck was that?" Niko exclaimed.

"Better yet, what's THAT!?" Terran screamed, gesturing towards their glowing opponent.

Sheex flexed his fingers near his chest as the purple mana coursing through his hands seeped through his gauntlets, "Sylphid, spirit of wind and lightning, your power is _mine!_" He raised his hand, triggering the spell.

Dark fumes formed above the platform, forming in an isolated section as if pulled by a vaccuum. When the rumble of thunder sounded and electricity coursed through it, all below had recognized that it was a storm cloud.

Niko and Terran fled just in time to avoid the bolt of lightning that struck the ground they had been standing on, tearing into the platform and sending smoke, metal, and burnt circuits flying. Terran hadn't been so quick on his feet, and was sent through the air by the force of the bolt touching down.

Sheex laughed over the reverberating roar of thunder, pleased with the results of the spell as the cloud slowly dissipated into nothing.

"That bastard," Claude growled, ready to leap into action. Dae lightly grabbed his arm.

"Claude...wait. Just wait a moment. Let me try..."

Claude obliged with Dae's request, watching her pull an arrow from her backpack. She nocked the arrow, lining it up in her sight with Sheex, who was still amused by the spell's destruction. She let the arrow fly and blinked when a flash of metal rendered it useless, leaving the splintered arrow to clatter to the floor.

"He...he deflected it," Dae whispered in disbelief.

"Hmph, he's good." Claude was relieved to see Terran was well as Niko pulled him away from the impact area. The sound of another arrow being nocked signified that Dae wasn't giving up just yet, and the blue-green aura that flared up on the arrow proved just how serious she was as she charged her _Speed Shot_ attack.

"Please, let this one leave an impact," she prayed to the goddess. Sheex stood his ground, holding his sword by both ends like a shield in anticipation.

They only realized that she shot the arrow once it had collided with the sword. Sheex pushed back but found that the arrow persisted, continuing its momentum as if it had not struck a surface at all. Sparks flew where the arrowhead was now spiraling into the blade. Sheex had underestimated the attack, and seeking to cancel it, he summoned the swords inner power. The familiar purple aura surrounded it for only a second, but it was long enough for Sheex to swat the arrow down, where it drove into the metal below. Smoke trailed from the arrow's body, the last of its energy spent.

"...he **is** good," Dae admitted, turning to Claude with deep concern in her cerulean eyes. "That's the first time anyone has rendered my Speed Shot so useless. Do you...think that maybe we picked the wrong fight?"

"That's nonsense," Claude replied, annoyed with the situation. "We've fought all kinds of monsters, this guy should be a piece of cake. All he has is a spell or two and a flashy sword." His attempt to encourage her was also one to convince himself.

"His sword seems to have a strange, dark power though," Dae thought aloud. "We've never encountered something like this before."

"Our weapons aren't exactly ordinary either!" Niko said, and it was now his turn to engage Sheex. He sprinted towards the armored man and stopped, leaving a good ten feet between them. From that point, they circled each other. Sheex was truly curious about this one; not only was he the only non-human of the bunch, he was also the only one to land a direct hit...however futile it was.

Niko knew that one wrong move could lead to Sheex dicing him into pieces. The first time, Terran had caused a distraction, but with his partner still woozy from the Thunderbolt spell, he was on his own. Not even Dae's arrows could help him now.

Suddenly, Niko brought an end to their circling game and changed his stance. To Sheex, it looked as if he were concentrating. The fox's eyes locked with Sheex's, and he took a running step forward before leaping sharply to the left. Sheex raised his sword defensively, anticipating the attack.

He took the bait.

Niko leapt to the right, taking two more running steps before jumping into the air. He threw a spinning kick, hoping that Sheex's unprotected head would receive the brunt of his _Cyclone Kick_. What his heel connected with instead was air, and a second kick would have been useless.

He landed awkwardly, aborting his attack when Sheex was no where to be found. From instincts, he looked over his shoulder. He couldn't believe it, but there was his enemy, his tainted sword ready to strike. No man could have possibly moved that fast.

"I thought foxes were nimble," Sheex jeered. "Let's see what you can do without legs, then."

The platform shook suddenly with the sound of grinding metal. Six large diamonds pierced through the metallic floor, shooting upward into the air before spinning idly. One after the other, they shot down at their target like trained missiles. Sheex jumped to the left to avoid one before resorting to the sword to strike the others as they locked on and rained down upon him. With every strike he rendered each diamond useless, exploding them into a fine dust upon impact with his blade.

Sheex turned to Terran with a hunch of where the earth spell had come from. The brown mana dissipating from his outstretched hand and his slight huffing confirmed his suspicions.

"Nice trick, but your Gem Missile spell is quite weak," he remarked, dismissing Terran. Unfortunately for him, his distraction gave way to another spell.

Blue light burst from Dae's palms; the spell was complete and the sparkling mana encircled her before fusing with her bow, sheeting it in icy blue frost. She immediately fetched an arrow and began to nock it, infusing it with the same frosty properties of the Ice Saber spell.

The icy arrow flew across the platform, leaving a trail of cool smoke. It plowed into Sheex's sword and shattered, but frost grew along the length of the blade. The effect was only temporary, as it melted from the sword a few seconds later.

_'Now that's more dangerous than I anticipated,'_ Sheex thought, deciding on a way to counter. He grinned when he settled on an idea, black mana engulfing his hand in the process.

He opened his palm and pointed it towards Dae, prompting a defensive stance from both she and Claude. The mana had disappeared, but so far no spell had followed up. Or so they had thought.

Dae's bow vibrated, startling her. She dropped it to the ground where it had suddenly been engulfed in a gray sphere. The sphere disappeared, dissipating into streaks of energy. The Chobin's Bow had been reduced to its original state. Dae's Ice Saber had been dispelled.

"What happened? What did he do to the bow?" Claude asked, awakening Dae from her shock.

"He used a Dispel spell," she said softly.

"Well how do you stop that?"

Dae knelt down next to the bow. "I...don't know."

"You children really are clueless, aren't you?" Sheex started to walk towards them, his sword at ease. "You're playing with forces much larger and older than you can imagine. You never stood a chance."

"Oh really? You don't know exactly who you're messing with!" Terran retorted in a rare display of confidence.

"I know exactly what I'm dealing with. You think I didn't notice that you possessed Mana Weapons? When they didn't crumble under the sheer might of Galbalan, there was no mistaking it. Children with weapons so powerful and a few haphazardly produced spells are certainly a curiosity, but even with Mana Weapons, you are simply outclassed and overpowered by the Mecha Blade." Sheex's arrogant smirk returned, holding his sword ahead of him for all to see. "Let me show you exactly what I mean."

The sword transformed before their very eyes. A fast, simple, but unsettling transformation. The split down the middle of the sword became a two inch gap, and in its center was what appeared to be a piece of metal holding together what was once one blade. The black jewel pulsated violently as the sword was cloaked in a dark aura once again, the gap in the blade now the focal point that absorbed dark mana into itself.

Sheex wasted no time demonstrating the power of the sword's true form. The dark aura began to flicker wildly, licking at its surroundings like hot flames while dark mana rolled along his left arm before resting in his hand, its destructive power literally at his fingertips. He channeled the sword like a siphon.

Dae shot another arrow, unsure of its fate, until a thin barrier reached outward from Sheex and deflected the attack, courtesy of his sword. He returned the favor before the arrow even hit the ground, silently casting the deadly spell he had been summoning.

The color in the room slowly washed out, and the four comrades found the space around them tightening. Black spheres infested the room, zooming in from presumably nowhere. The spheres then picked their targets, careening straight into them and latching onto their bodies. They each struggled but found themselves restrained by the negative energy, their very beings slowly consumed by darkness.

"Terran...fight it!" Dae pleaded, fighting her own restraints. She noticed through squinted eyes that Terran was having the hardest time enduring the Dark Force spell.

"But it's...so...tight...!" Terran sounded exhausted and sweat ran down his brow. He struggled a little more before screaming out in agony, the dark bonds responding to his attempts at freedom by tightening.

"Just hold on a little longer!" Claude said through gritted teeth, the darkness accumulating over them and slowing once only their faces were left untouched. The final stage of the spell had finally been initiated once the black spheres began to flash white, signaling their imminent combustion.

The dark prisons detonated simultaneously, engulfing its victims in a dome of destruction. The explosion slowly but surely receded, dispensed mana energy crackling in bolts from the black dome. Once the spell had run its course, the four Chosen lay motionless upon the platform.

"I am truly disappointed," Sheex scoffed. He began to huff, the use of power finally draining enough energy for it to affect him physically. He laughed in an attempt to brush it off. "After that fight you put up, I expected at least one of you to make it through that spell. I severely overestimated you."

Sheex decided to make his approach to check and see if his enemies were truly defeated. Even with his prejudgment, he never let the darkness of the sword slip away.

He stopped in his tracks when Claude began to stir.

"So there is some fight left here somewhere," he muttered. In reality, he was annoyed by their tenacity. More fighting meant more use of the sword.

Claude struggled off of the ground, using the Broad Sword for support. "I'm not going to die here..." he stated to himself, memories of Gold City flashing in and out of his mind. _'Why am I thinking of that place at a time like this? My body is bruised, my friends are hurt, and my life could end in seconds. So why Gold City? Why....home?'_

In his puzzlement, Claude found himself fully standing, and behind him the signs of life as Dae and Niko recovered from the Dark Force spell with groans.

Sheex grimaced at the sight and the blade reflected his emotions. In the distance, Purim was still watching the battle. "Sheex, what are you doing!? Stop this! You've won! You've proven your power!" She screamed and thrashed against the chair. She felt helpless and humiliated. The children were fighting for her and losing. The Chosen were impressing her by how hard they were to kill, but that didn't stop the fact that Sheex barely had a scratch on him. And all the while, she was bound by rope and wood.

Rope and wood...

"I'll reward your defiance with a spectacular finish!" Sheex lifted the blade above his head, triggering the vacuum within it to increase, as did the dark aura around it. He pointed the sword to the opposite end of the platform, using its inner power for one last spell. A black vortex ripped through the air and began to pull all towards it.

"Whatever is left of you from the Evil Gate can be devoured by Galbalan!"

"Terran? Terran, we have to move!" Dae cried over Terran's limp body.

Niko was afraid to ask, but he did anyway, "...is he dead?"

"No, just unconscious, but he will be if he doesn't get up!" She shook him, but it was futile. The Remedy spell would work, but with the gate's strength increasing, it would be too risky to attempt chanting when any disturbance could throw off their balance and send any of them plummeting into the void.

"I'll stop him," Claude spoke, barely audible from the roar of the dark portal.

"Not by yourself!" Niko was ready to jump by his side but was held back by Dae.

"I need your help with Terran!" Dae said, holding her fallen comrade's spear in one hand. Together, she and Niko jammed it into the metal below as hard as they could, lodging it into the floor. They both latched on while holding Terran tightly with their free arm, preparing for the worst.

Claude dragged his body across the platform, against the pull of the vortex, against the fatigue, and against the glare of Sheex. The Evil Gate's maw grew a few inches and its power with it. Claude slid back slightly and Dae let out a small scream as she and Niko held onto Terran so tight she thought they would pull his arms off.

_'I just need one clean strike,'_ Claude thought, pushing on against the suction. By now even Purim had stopped attempting to escape and watched in curiosity as, even with the increased pull, Claude broke into a jog and then a run.

"Just one strike!" Claude reminded himself. He was going to wipe that confident smile off of Sheex's face one way or another.

Sheex had decided to humor Claude and held his sword at ready once more. Their blades locked once again, sending sparks flying. Sheex began to laugh as the aura around his sword grew and threatened to swallow the Broad Sword in darkness. Claude pushed back even as he felt the cold darkness lapping at his wrists and his patience paid off when his sword reverberated with a _ting_.

The blade of the sword flashed a pure white. Its power was unleashed in the fraction of a second, the light exploding before either one of them reacted. Sheex slid back a few feet from the blast while Claude landed in a kneeling position. Claude looked at the sword in shocked but was even more surprised to see that Sheex's weapon had reverted back to its original state. With the sword's power disrupted, the Evil Gate spell had ended and the vortex whirled to a stop before disappearing from whence it came. Dae and Niko let out simultaneous sighs.

"...what happened?" Terran moaned from the floor.

"**Now** you wake up!" Niko complained.

"Impossible! How did you do that!?" Sheex demanded, looking wide eyed between his sword and Claude.

Claude had no interest in answering his question, partially because he couldn't if he tried. Instead, he took advantage of the situation. Staying in his kneeling position, he held his sword out to the side and dashed forward. "I've been waiting for the opportunity to use this!"

Sheex was caught off guard and blocked Claude's attack with his sword but found it useless, perhaps because his own sword had been weakened or by the power of Claude's attack.

Claude made a full uppercut slash with the sword. Fabric was torn and armor clanked in resistance, but the force of the attack was strong enough to knock Sheex off of the ground and several feet into the air. Claude followed him by leaping and when he reached their maximum height, he made a powerful horizontal slash to the right. He used the momentum of the attack for a full spin and another slash before ending the attack with a kick that sent Sheex plummeting back towards solid ground.

Claude was dismayed when Sheex landed in a kneeling position but still felt pretty triumphant since he managed to pull off his second technique successfully. He landed only to find Sheex engulfed in silent rage. His dark sword had grown back to life and reflected the furiousness his expressionless face refused to reveal.

Purim gave one last pull with all her might until the wood cracked before splintering to pieces. Without support, the rope loosened and she unraveled her bonds before dashing out of the chair and towards the battlefield. By now, Sheex had been so focused on unleashing a barrage of slashes that kept Claude on his toes that he never noticed her escape.

Purim chanted, summoning the power of the spirit of light in hopes that her spell would arrive in time. It had served her well many times before and she prayed that the years had not waned her ability to cast it.

Her prayers were answered when the spell executed. Twinkling lights high above gave way to two beams of pure light, streaking around the room before catching Sheex off of his guard and plowing straight into his chest. Once Sheex realized what happened, he was already on his back and more beams were following up. Claude quickly made distance between the two of them as Sheex tried to thwart off the remainder of the spell, swinging his sword wildly at light rays that were moving too fast for even him to deflect.

"Go! You have to get out of here!" Purim screamed over the cries of Sheex.

"But what about you!?" Dae yelled back. "That's why we came here! We were looking for you!"

"Don't worry about me! I'll keep Sheex occupied, you just have to escape with your lives!"

It was Claude's turn to have a say. "You don't get it! We're not just some kids!"

"That may be true, but trying to take on Sheex any further is useless." Purim ignored their protesting and quickly moved to one of the mana crystals attached to a console device. The machine responded as she pushed a few buttons and the platform had lit up with a familiar blue glow. The last thing they had seen on the ship through the light was Purim's sigh of relief and Sheex rising from the assault of the spell.

* * *

A mild chill in the night air surrounded the Water Palace. However, its occupants were comfortably taking a much needed break inside while discussing the previous events of the day.

"You said his sword...changed?" Luka inquired.

"Yeah," Niko spoke up. "And every time it was covered in some kind of darkness."

The party all sat in a circle around one of many large torches, its green light flickering and dancing across their faces and the palace in a eerie fashion, though its warmth was soothing.

"I think he called it Galbalan or something like that," Claude recited from his memory. "He said it was a mecha blade. Have you ever heard of it, Luka?"

"No...no, I don't believe I have," the sage replied softly. "But like the airship, a fusion of mana and machine sounds like a relic of the ancient civilization."

Dae had been silent for most of the conversation, but finally felt that it was time to stop beating around the bush. "Sage Luka, just who exactly is Sheex? The name is uncannily familiar."

Luka closed her eyes and sighed as if preparing to give them a long explanation. When a minute passed by and no speech was given, Claude was starting to become frustrated.

"Luka! We know he's involved with whatever is going on. That was definitely him that attacked Potos. And now he's got some weird sword and an airship too! You have to tell us what's going on!"

"Sage Luka, please," Dae pleaded. "Is this not part of our mission?"

Claude leaned forward, inspecting Luka. She showed no change in emotion. "Look, he flew an airship over a kingdom. He's making quite a name for himself. We're bound to find out what's going on eventually."

Luka suddenly stood and they all fell silent. She was conflicted because they were right. The were entitled to know. They were _required_ to know. But once they had a good idea of what was going on, it would be a lot harder for them to return to their normal lives if any of them had decided to back out after the earlier encounter.

"Sheex is a former lieutenant of Emperor Vandole."

"I knew it!" Dae declared. "One of the three lieutenants, right?"

"I thought the Mana Knight killed them all?" Terran was looking particularly sick at the revelation.

"Apparently, one survived," Luka replied grimly.

"Actually, I was expecting it to be much worse," Claude said, garnering the looks of everyone around. "I mean, at least it's not Vandole himself. We're going to need to get stronger, but I think we could take Sheex in a rematch. My sword-"

"It's not that simple, Claude," Luka interjected. "Your task now is to constitute the Chosen."

"What?"

"You know there are others like you chosen by the spirits. You must gather your comrades and complete the process so that you all possess your intended abilities. Otherwise you won't stand a chance."

By now, Claude had stood in protest and the others could feel the discussion slowly become heated.

"Do we really have the time to go around and look for these people? I can understand me and Niko getting our powers but there's like four other elements and four other people to go with them. I mean, Sheex has an airship! What if he decides to destroy Pandora next time with whatever weapons that thing has?"

"You bring up a good point, but I do not believe that Sheex's intentions with that ship is one of destruction. And that worries me."

Claude folded his arms. It was peculiar that Sheex hadn't used the ship for destructive purposes. "Potos looked like it was wrecked by monsters from a ground assault, not an airship...still, he's pretty dangerous."

"I understand your concern Claude, but this is not the path you are to make together as Chosen," Luka said with deep concern. "Don't you understand? Sheex is even more formidable now than when he originally fought Randi. Not only does he have ancient technology at his disposal, but he was also a master shapeshifter back in his days as a lieutenant. There are many ways for him to defeat you all and you most likely experienced a fraction of his power. I could not bear to see your early demise..."

"But he has Purim..." Claude protested one last time, feeling the fire dying down within him.

"And intentionally took her alive. A lure for Randi, no doubt."

Claude sat back down. "Alright, since he's not making anymore moves yet, I see what you mean about 'constituting the chosen.'" Images of the previous battle lingered on his mind.

Luka smiled brightly. "Good. Your journey should take you to the Upper Lands next. The Wind Palace is there. It's possible that the Chosen One of Wind will meet you inside."

"I wonder what he's like!" Niko said excitedly.

"Hopefully, a lot more reserved," Terran stated. Niko was oblivious to the shot taken at him and Terran chuckled, liking the lightened mood a lot more.

"What about the Palace of Light?" Claude asked Luka. "I want to use magic eventually."

"Oh, you will Claude. Have patience," The sage assured him.

"So Terran...what was it like using magic? Before Sheex rendered your spell useless, of course!" A mischievous grin crept along Niko's maw.

Terran scowled and instead changed the subject. "So Claude, what was that move you used on Sheex?"

"Oh, that was my second technique. I call it _High Flyin'_," he said with a hint of pride. "It was great tearing into him with it, even for a few seconds."

"Actually, I was wondering about the little flashy light thing you did. It seemed like it nullified Sheex's sword."

Claude looked down to the sheathed weapon on his side. "I don't really know how that happened."

"You shouldn't be too surprised, Claude," Luka said, addressing the anomaly almost casually. "You said Sheex's weapon used darkness, right? You share a link with Lumina now. You all share links with your elemental spirits. Lumina and Shade. Light and Darkness. They are natural opposites. It was simply your inner power, and the inner power of the sword, reacting to the darkness attempting to overcome it."

"Hey, you could have told us that sooner, you know," Claude said, slightly disappointed. He was hoping that there was a more fantastic meaning behind the unexpected turn of events.

"Well, it's a rare occurrence. It'll happen even less often as you come into your powers and learn to control every aspect of them."

"Sagely advice from a sage," Terran added on.

Claude rubbed his hand along the sword's scabbard. "Well...I guess that confirms that Lumina turned my sword into a mana weapon if it could do that."

Luka looked towards one of the windows. "There are several ways to create a mana weapon, Claude. Having an elemental guardian bless it is just one of them."

Dae stretched and yawned. "I don't know about you guys but I'm still feeling the effects from the day. And yesterday for that matter, too."

"It is getting quite late," Luka said, turning away from the moonlit stained glass and looking over the four."You'll want to get an early start tomorrow. The Upper Lands can be quite...maze-like."

"But I'm not tired!" Niko whined.

"No buts! Off to bed. All of you," Luka commanded jokingly.

"We're going, we're going," Terran squeaked as they retreated into the depths of the palace for the night, leaving Luka alone in the pedestal chamber.

She looked to the seed, bathed in the moonlight pouring through the stained glass windows and said a small prayer. It would be the first time since meeting these young people that they would be separated by such a length. This would be especially true for Dae, and Luka felt for her parents as they would also be missing their daughter.

"Please, Goddess. Watch over these children where I am not able to. Guide them to the path of salvation as these dark times rapidly approach us. Please..."

* * *

_And that brings the first arc to a close. Chapter 16 is the beginning of Arc 2._

Arc 1 mostly dealt with the inroduction to some of the main characters, and their journey from their ordinary lives to learning that they were Chosen, and learning about the situation around them.

Arc 2 will revolve around their active search to receive their powers and recruit the remaining Chosen. Along the way, they will run into many characters new and old to Secret of Mana, who may help or hinder their progress...

_On another note, I've revamped Chapter 1. It's nothing huge, but I did add some details I felt should have been there, as well as writing a 'poper' intro I was more satisfied with._


	18. CH 16: To New Lands and Beyond

**Chapter 16:** _To New Lands and Beyond  
_**Arc II**: We Search for Others  
_By ClaudeLv250_

"Have you seen Dae?"

"No...she went to her room last night," Terran mentioned groggily, his vision blurred as sleep still held a tight grip over his body. He let out a short yawn which ended up hindering more than helping.

"So...where is her room?" Claude asked, walking through the corridors of the Water Palace. "She knows we're supposed to be leaving early. So where is she?"

"Maybe Luka knows..." Terran leaned his back against the wall and let his eyes drift shut. He silently thanked Dae for the extra few minutes of sleep he was about to enjoy.

"What are you doing?" Claude said, suddenly appearing in front of Terran and startling him awake. "Help me look for her!"

Claude jogged down the corridors calling out for Dae as Terran moaned and lagged behind. After a few minutes, he gave up and went to the pedestal chamber to look for Luka. He was surprised to find her there and waiting as if she had never left, and though he wanted to ask if sages slept, he shelved the idea and went with his original question.

"Hey Luka. Where's Dae?"

"I'm right here," her voice said from behind. Claude whipped around to find Dae peeping out of a doorway he swore wasn't there before.

"This is my room," she said knowingly and ducked back inside. "I've only got to get a few more things and then I'll be ready."

Claude and Terran took a look inside and were entranced by what they saw. The room was small but tranquil. The early morning sunlight was peering in through the single window. Across the room was a bed covered in green linens. In the right corner was a small pool of water reaching out of the wall. A small stream rolled down an open crevice and into the pool, giving it the appearance of a fountain. Several lily pads floated aimlessly in the water, accompanied by a few plants growing along the rim of the pool.

Between the bed and the pool was a white dresser with a few miscellaneous items atop it, including a photo of the Ripple family. Dae opened one of the drawers and grabbed a set of arrows tied together.

"I made these myself," she commented, placing them into her backpack with care. "Don't want to run out in the middle of the Upper Lands, right?"

"This room is amazing," Claude said, taking it all in.

Modesty overtook Dae. "I'm sure it's nothing compared to a room of pure gold," she said with a smile.

"No, I think I like your room better."

"I'd think that both of your rooms were better than mine," Terran stated clearly, the view knocking most of the sleep out of him.

Claude leaned against the wall with one arm. "Okay then, if you're ready...wait, where's Niko?"

"I'm right here!" Niko proclaimed happily, bouncing into the room behind them.

Claude looked hopelessly to the fox. "Where do you all keep coming from like this?"

"And why are you so cheery and energetic this early in the morning?" Terran found that annoyance certainly helped fight off whatever grogginess was left.

"Cheer up, Terran!" Niko playfully slapped Terran on the back. "We're going to the Upper Lands! Who wouldn't be cheery about that?"

"It's just too early to be jumping around.....and that hurt." Terran rubbed the back of his shoulder begrudgingly.

"This is exciting!" Dae exclaimed, slipping her arms through the shoulder straps of her backpack. Niko's mood was at least infectious for her. "I've never traveled this far away from the palace before."

The quartet left the room and the doorway closed behind them, appearing as an ordinary wall. They looked back with confusion.

"Safety precautions," Dae explained. "There are some...unwanted guests that visit the palace from time to time." That was understandable.

They met back up with Luka in the pedestal chamber. She gave them a good morning smile but her crimson eyes betrayed her as they had welled up with sadness.

"Luka..." Dae whispered and her heart sank when she realized just what the sage was going through.

She had been through it with her family. She understood it, expected it, and came to terms with the separation before she left Pandora the day before, but they had come to learn how to live with Dae being gone for long stretches of time.

But for Luka, this would be a first.

They wordlessly hugged and Luka found herself stroking Dae's long hair. "You come back alive, okay? I still need a new sage to take my place when I'm gone. And that goes for all of you. I've watched over each of you since we first met, and the ebb and flow of the water shall tell me all about your adventures abroad. But it's nothing like having you all here in the flesh."

They each nodded and Terran scratched the back of his head. "It's not like we're going to be gone for good. We'll be back once it's all said and done, right?" There was a chorus of agreement in response to him.

Luka had escorted them to the entrance of the palace. The double doors opened, bathing them all in the warm light of the rising sun.

"The Cannon Travel service nearby should get you to the Upper Lands," the sage informed them, a lot of the sadness having left her tone.

Niko suddenly froze up. "Cannon Travel?"

"How else did you think we were getting there?" Claude said, slightly amused. He led the way down the staircase.

Luka stood in the doorway and watched as the quartet left for new lands. Even after they had disappeared into the forests, she had stood rigid, thinking of them, praying for them.

"They'll be okay, Luka," the small voice of Undine assured her.

"I know. I know..."

* * *

"I crave. How did you let them escape?"

"You _will_ be silent," Sheex snapped, looking through the glass of the bridge of the airship and down to the ocean below. Once monitored by many in times long since past, the ship was now running on an autopilot program. Though the ex-lieutenant would never admit that he didn't completely understand how to run the ship, it came as a relief when he finally discovered how to get the ship to run and maintain itself.

"Those children would have been quite tasty morsels. I sensed extra levels of mana within two of them, and then there was the boy that bested you..."

"A fluke," Sheex said dismissively to the disembodied voice. It cackled in reply.

"I think not! That was the accursed power of Lumina that repelled me! Do not underestimate them again! I do not enjoy being inflicted upon with searing light!"

Sheex had had enough. He snatched the sword from the console it had been resting upon and looked at what he presumed to be a face of sorts within the black crystal embedded into the weapon. "You listen and you listen well, dark spirit. I am in charge and you will do well not to forget this. The fact that you can feed off of _any_ energy is nothing more than a perk! You are a tool and here to serve my purposes, now do as I say or I will return you to the sunken ruins from which I found you, where there will be no living being with mana to fill your unwavering appetite!"

There was no response. Contented, Sheex placed the blade within a sheath around his waist and turned his back to the oceanic view.

"...you can at least let me feed on the woman," the spirit remarked disappointedly.

"Impossible. She is too important to become part of your diet." Sheex took a long stride out of the room and down a dimly lit hallway, the spirit protesting every step. He detested when it would act as more than a sword. He only needed the weapon's power and not its attitude.

"How can you be so sure that this woman won't escape and attack again? Her mana lifeforce is unusually strong. I'm sure she would be quite...delicious."

"Because," Sheex started, stopping in front of a door that automatically slid open in his presence. "She is very much secure now."

He stepped into the room, occupied by the sound of whirring machinery and the pulsating of the green barrier keeping the blonde woman inside within stasis; a forced sleep that Sheex had complete control over.

"She will serve her purpose. And once she does...then I'll think about her ultimate fate."

* * *

"You've never used Cannon Travel before?" Dae asked, looking towards Niko in mild shock as they crossed the lake using the bridge. "Like...ever?"

"It's not like it's that big of a deal," Claude cut in. "I didn't use it until recently, when I left Gold City."

Niko opened his mouth to reply but was shut out by Dae. "Yeah, but you lived on an island. It's not like you had to get around."

"How could you not use Cannon Travel?" Terran asked, leaving Niko interrupted once again. "Didn't you live in the Kakkara desert? I heard it's pretty big."

"I never went that far from my home," Niko finally got a word in, feeling exhausted from fighting to have a say in a conversation about himself.

"Well...I guess that makes sense." Dae shrugged to herself. She still couldn't imagine life without it or the unruly-haired brothers that ran the worldwide service.

Claude stopped. "Wait. If you didn't use Cannon Travel, how did you get here from Kakkara desert?"

"I walked!" Niko announced blissfully.

They all stopped and stared.

Terran raised a brow incredulously. "You're joking, right? That would take days. Weeks even."

"And that's a lot of land to walk," Dae added on. "You didn't run into any trouble along the way? With the increasing monster activity and all..."

"Well, I mostly walked the coastline," Niko recalled. "Then I had to walk around the mountains to get here."

"I see," Dae said thoughtfully. "So the path you took was pretty discreet."

"Monster alert!" Terran cried out suddenly, swinging the spear off of his back. He lightly poked at the pink flowers lining the path they were walking. When none of them snapped back, he sighed in relief and returned the spear to his back.

"False alarm," Claude said with a bit of relief of his own, allowing his hand to slide off the grip of his sword. He led them around the bend and off the Potos trail. Their footsteps clattered along the cobblestone-laced path with the heavy sense of anticipation in their every step towards the cannon in the distance.

"Customers!" The short caretaker of the cannon screamed at the sight of them. He smiled broadly, enough to shake them all with a bit of uneasiness as he hobbled over to them as quickly as possible. "Come, come!" He squealed gleefully, grabbing part of the robe around Dae's arm and pulling her back to the cannon. They all sped up to keep up.

"Where are you going today, Miss Ripple? Hmmm?" The cannon brother asked, bouncing up the plateau and grabbing a box of gunpowder. "Going back towards the Water Palace with your friends?"

"Oh, no. Not today. We need to go to the Upper Lands."

The cannon brother did a double take. "That's unusually far away for you." The stumpy man was curious, but he didn't want to chase his customers away by prying too much so he left it at that.

"Can you get us close to the Wind Palace?" Claude asked. The little man grinned in response, which Claude felt was a little creepy.

"I remember you from the other day!"

"Oh yeah," Claude murmured, looking towards the sky. "That was after Potos, wasn't it..."

"I'll try to get you all as close to the Wind Palace as I can!" The man's grin grew even broader (if that was possible) as Claude took the allotted amount of gold from the pouch around his waist and paid him.

The cannon brother adjusted the cannon, following a series of calculations on paper while turning a wheel that made the large and majestic cannon slowly rotate. Through the process, Terran noticed Niko fidgeting.

"Don't tell me that you're scared," he said in a dull, expecting tone.

"So what's Cannon Travel like?" Niko asked, and to Terran's dismay, was oblivious to his earlier tone.

"It's like getting shot several hundred feet into the air by a cannon," Terran stated flatly, watching Niko for a reaction.

That didn't help.

Claude eyed Terran. "Are you trying to scare him, Terran?"

Terran shoved his hands in his pockets and looked away. "I'm just being truthful with him. There's no reason to sugarcoat it."

"Uh huh..." Claude uttered skeptically, raising a brow. "Alright Niko, whether you're scared or not, it's not going to last that long. All you really need to worry about is the landing..."

"It's ready!" The cannon brother announced, and they made their way to the cannon. Terran was the first to roll inside while Niko looked into the mouth.

"And we're all getting in here at the same time...?"

"It will support all of you!" The cannon brother stated. Niko climbed in, as did Dae and Claude. It was a little cramped, but it was the only way to travel.

The cannon brother lit the fuse on the back of the cannon and began a countdown.

"Five...four...three...t-"

BOOM!

The cannon launched earlier than expected, sending its occupants high into the sky whether they were ready for it or not. The spinning sky grew as the ground below them shrank until even the cannon was nothing more than a black blip on the land.

It wasn't until they reached the height of their flight and began to plummet back to the earth that the screaming began, cutting off the short but awing sight of the dense sea of forests known as the Upper Lands. The trees were heading towards them at breakneck speeds and within seconds they were engulfed in branches.

Wood cracked and splintered as they each rolled and tumbled painfully through the trees before being caught completely in the branches. A minute passed before shuffling in the treetops gave signs of life.

"Is everybody okay?" Claude called out, attempting to untangle himself from the two branches that propped him into the air.

"I'm stuck!" Niko cried out, hanging upside down by a leg jammed between the split of a large branch.

There was a short _shlick_ sound as Claude swiftly removed his sword from its sheath and made a quick swinging motion in his awkward lying position. One branch was severed and the other gave way without the support for the weight, letting Claude drop into the tall grass below.

Niko shook around before reaching up to free his leg from the branch. Just as he bent upward to grasp the tree, his leg slipped free and he plummeted as well.

"I think that went better than than my first time," Claude said, stretching his back until he felt a small crack. "I ended up in a river. I think."

There was a short cry when a branch snapped, leading to an avalanche of branches and twigs crackling and popping as Terran tumbled through the tree to the ground below, landing at Claude and Niko's feet in a heap.

Claude folded his arms in amusement. "Wow, Terran...bring the whole tree down while you're at it," he joked. Terran shot him a dirty look while untangling himself from the remains of the tree.

"Sooo..." Terran began, "what did you think about cannon travel, Niko?"

"I think that I don't want to do that again," Niko replied flatly.

Terran laughed. "I knew you'd be scared! Not so happy anymore, huh?"

"Terran, what are you talking about? You were screaming louder than all of us," stated Claude with a chuckle. Terran scowled.

"I was just going along with the ride," he replied sourly.

"Whatever you say, oh Chosen of Earth," Claude responded wryly.

"Umm...guys! Don't forget about me!"

They looked up to find Dae completely tangled in the branches above. Her robe gave the tree much more to latch onto and she was finding it difficult to escape.

"She's pretty high up," Claude commented.

Terran's face brightened as he got an idea. "We can control the elements outside of spells, right? It's what Undine said." He wasn't really looking for confirmation from Niko or Claude so much as reminding himself.

He whipped the spear from his back and closed his eyes. _'Let this work,'_ he thought to himself, jamming the spearhead into the earth. The ground slowly but surely began to rumble before escalating into a quake. The trees shook violently. Leaves and fruit rained down from above, prompting Niko to collect food.

The branches broke, leaving Dae free to collapse onto the ground. Terran retrieved the spear from the earth and returned it to its resting place on his back.

"Terran, you know I was only joking earlier about bringing the tree down, right?" Claude was even more amused now.

"Har har," Terran responded, glowering in the process.

"I'm glad you're both amused because I was expecting at least one of you to catch me," Dae mumbled from the ground.

Claude and Terran traded guilty glances and were at her side immediately, helping her up as she brushed dirt and twigs off of her robe and out of her hair.

"Sorry," they apologized together.

"Well, on the bright side, we have more food," Niko announced with arms full of fallen fruit, dumping them into Dae's backpack.

"So...uh...which way is the Wind Palace?" Claude asked, suddenly realizing how deep in the wilderness they were.

"I thought I saw it while we were in the air but...the landing was so disorienting..." Dae trailed off, slightly disappointed.

"So we're lost in the Upper Lands?" Terran's voice cracked a bit. He was fighting off the panic.

"Not totally. I'm sure the moogles know the way," Dae replied assuringly.

Claude got a flashback to old times in Gold City. "Oh yeah, I did read about moogles before. They only live here, right?"

"So does anyone know exactly where they live? Terran asked.

He sighed when there was no reply.

"We won't find anything if we just stand around talking about how lost we are," Claude stated, scoping the area. "At least we can try this path that looks...vaguely like a trail." He led the way down a small clearing and they walked the path for a few minutes before noticing that the trees were rapidly changing to a bronze color. Leaves were falling to the ground periodically, prompting Terran to pick one up and it examine it. As he rubbed his thumb over the brittle leaf, it crumble in his palm.

"Okay, I know it's the beginning of autumn but...did the trees change a little too fast for anyone else?" Terran asked. Niko was not familiar with the phenomenon known as the season of fall outside of Kakkara and watched the trees with a newfound curiosity.

"What's happening to them? Are they dying?" he wondered aloud.

"The trees do that in the fall and are completely bare by Winter," Claude said. "That much I know from the books. The trees don't do that in Gold City though...being made out of gold and all."

"Well there's no doubt about it, we're definitely in the Seasonal Forest," Dae informed them.

"Is that a good or a bad thing?" Terran asked meekly, afraid of the answer he might receive.

"A little bit of both, actually," Dae admitted and Terran moaned. "Well, it's sort of a maze but the moogles live in a village somewhere around here and they could lead us to the palace," she quickly said as reassuringly as possible, but the damage had already been done.

A chilly breeze picked up and blew the tattered remains of the leaf out of Terran's palm. He rubbed his exposed arms for warmth. As they continued to walk, it felt like it was getting colder by the minute. His suspicions were confirmed when a lone snowflake drifted through the air and landed directly on Niko's snout.

"What was that?" Niko asked, his eyes crossing as he tried to see the rapidly melting flake on his nose.

"Snow!!" Claude exclaimed, pointing instead to the road ahead. The environment between the fall and winter sections of the forest were such a stark contrast to each other that it seemed surreal. An invisible line marked where one part of the forest ended and the other began.

"I'm not dressed for this!" Terran whined as they stepped into winter head on.

"Gah! It's so cold!" Niko yelled, leaping out of the snow and onto a boulder. Dae and Claude laughed.

"Snow is cold, but it can be fun," Claude said. A devious grin crept along his face when he saw that Terran was still hugging himself for warmth. He scooped snow off of the ground and rolled it into a ball before lobbing it forward.

The snowball splattered across the back of Terran's neck, who would have screamed had the sharp intake of freezing air into his lungs in reaction had not subdued all of his senses. He simply turned around and gave the most menacing look he could muster under the current weather conditions, which made him look more drowsy than anything.

No sooner had Terran turned around when another ball struck him in the head, spilling a clump of snow atop his brown hair. "S-stop it!" he bellowed, whipping around. Claude shrugged while Niko looked preoccupied with hoping his foot paws didn't freeze off.

Terran narrowed his eyes. One of them was faking and he would figure out who it was. "Don't do that again," he warned, turning his back once again.

The light crunch of snow being rolled into a ball alerted him, and he turned to find the culprit...just in time to be pelted in the face with another snowball. However, his jaw was left agape, but not from the intense cold.

"Dae!?" Terran wailed.

"What's the matter, Terran? Afraid of a little snow?" Dae teased, juggling a second snowball in her hand with the slightest twitch of temptation.

"You...why...argh!" Terran's fuming quickly changed as he grabbed a fistful of snow himself. "You won't get away with that, even if you are the Chosen One of Water!"

Dae let out a playful shriek as she dove behind a tree to avoid the incoming snowball. Before Terran could reload, his back was pummeled with snowballs from the assailants he had forgotten. While the boys were playing, Dae found a nice hiding spot behind a few bushes and pressed her hands against the snow. She wasn't sure if it would work, but she tried anyway.

A wave of snow rolled along the ground and suddenly knocked the guys off of their feet and half buried them with its presence.

"Hey, no fair!" Claude protested while digging himself free. "You used your powers!"

Dae giggled as she walked around the bushes. "It's not my fault not all of us have mastered magic just yet. Consider it...payback. For not catching me earlier."

"I didn't realize we were the assigned woman-catchers," responded a bitter Terran. Niko on the other hand found the opportunity to further experience snow by playing with it after having been half-submerged.

"Hey, what's that?" Niko asked gingerly, looking up. Terran rolled his eyes.

"We told you already, it's snow."

"No, Terran," Claude said, spotting what Niko was talking about. "There's some kind of bird in the trees. Don't think I've seen that one before..."

Dae, on the other hand, recognized the blue feathers that lined its body and the crimson feathers along its face, lower body and inner wings. It's wide eyes appeared harmless if not overly curious and a bit unsettling. But she wasn't fooled.

"It's a Nemesis Owl," she told them, swiftly pulling her Chobin's Bow out from her backpack along with an arrow. "They can be quite dangerous!" Her friends followed suit as she let the arrow loose, missing the owl by inches as it took off just as it realized what was going on.

"It came with company," Claude warned, turning around once he heard scuttling along the grass. Two Crawlers had approached, their green bodies protected by hard shells lined with a single layer of spikes down the middle of their backs, ending in a tail used for walloping foes. Behind the Crawlers was the pink variety of the Rabite known as a Silktail.

One of the crawlers curled itself into a ball and launched forward, rolling through the middle of the party and spreading them out as they dodged. Terran decided to take out the other crawler before it did anything similar, only for the thrust of his spear to result in the spearhead sliding across its armor. The shell was harder than he originally thought.

The Nemesis Owl took the opportunity to fly above the frosty trees, alarming Dae. She couldn't quite see what it was doing up there, but she had an idea once it began to move and flap its wings erratically. It was summoning mana for a spell, no doubt.

"Guys, watch out! I think it's casting a spell!" Dae's warning to the others was useless as she soon found out. The Nemesis Owl was targeting her.

A ring of white spheres surrounded Dae before exploding into a cloud that engulfed her.

"Don't breath it in!" She continued to warn her friends. "It'll silence you!" Unfortunately for her, it had already started to take its toll. She coughed hard and a lump formed in her throat. Her voice was silenced and her magical prowess suppressed. She felt dizzy and slightly confused; she could see the battle taking place before her but could do little to help the others.

Niko took a deep breath and dove into the cloud, guiding Dae out of it as best as he could. Not long afterwards, the spell died down and the silence cloud began to dissipate, but Dae could still feel its dizzying effects.

"You okay?" Niko asked quickly, setting her next to a tree and away from the battle. Dae opened her mouth to respond, fighting the spell, but no sound came out. After a few seconds she gave up and nodded.

"Terran, the underbelly!" Claude shouted, parrying the Silktail that launched itself right for him and countered with a hard kick.

Terran knew what Claude meant. His battle with the Crawler was not going well. It's armor was simply impenetrable with his current weapon. Now it was time to adapt a new strategy.

The crawler swung its fortified tail right for Terran's shins, an attack that was easily avoided with a short leap. Terran retaliated by shoving the spearhead under the creature's body and pushing down, propping it up into the air and flipping the Crawler onto its hard back. The monster's multiple short, spiny legs kicked wildly at the air to no avail; it was stuck. It's fight was over when Terran shoved the spear into the exposed stomach.

He turned around just in time to see the second Crawler knock Claude down from its rolling attack and move in his direction. Taking advantage of the distance, Terran held his spear above his head and spun it into a blur before making direct contact against the rolling Crawler with his _Mighty Thrust_ technique. The impact broke a hole into the Crawler's shell and blew it into the side of a tree, but the actual hit wasn't fatal. Its thick armor was tough and protected it from the collision.

Dae was determined to help her comrades and set her backpack down in an attempt to search through it for a medical herb. Despite her blurred vision, she knew she saw something dart between two trees in the distance, and its bright pink nose confirmed her suspicions. Its white fur hid it well against the snow, but Dae knew the only creature fitting that profile that lived anywhere in the Upper Lands had to be none other than the elusive Moogle.

All vocal communication would be pointless, so she pointed to it in hopes of getting her friends' attention. Unfortunately for her, the Nemesis Owl was proving to me more of a Nuisance Owl as it dove at Niko and Claude with the silktail mimicking its attacks from the ground by throwing its spinning body and floppy ears as well.

Her only resort was Terran, awaiting the recovery of the Crawler he had sent into the tree earlier. Dae lumbered forward through her dizziness, fighting the growing nausea, and nearly collapsed on Terran's arm. He was a bit shocked that she reached him, but she did manage to divert his attention by pointing in the moogle's general direction.

"Hey guys!" He called out. "There's a moogle! I think Dae wants us to follow it!"

Upon hearing Terran's voice, the moogle turned tail and darted deeper into the depths of the Seasonal Forest.

"Forget about the monsters!" Claude yelled to Niko, who had planted his heel into the Nemesis Owl and sent it spiraling into dirt and snow. "We can't afford to lose that moogle!" He sheathed his sword and ran into the direction the moogle had fled.

Dae managed to retrieved her backpack, but her condition had only improved marginally in the meantime and she found it hard to move at any sort of speed without tipping over. Terran saw her struggling and secured the spear to his back before scooping her up into his arms and following Claude and Niko in pursuit of the moogle, just avoiding the lethal downpour of acidic rain that ate away the snow, courtesy of an Acid Storm spell by the silktail.

The moogle dashed between trees, its path and movement erratic in nature. It was obvious that the moogle was trying to lose its pursuers, but was still heading to its ultimate destination.

Winter changed back into Autumn as the snow came to an end and the trees returned to an everlasting state of orange. Terran was lagging behind due to the extra weight, and by the time they reached Spring, Claude and Niko had almost left him entirely behind during the chase. That was, until he spotted them both hiding behind a tree.

"What happened? Did you lose the moogle?" He asked, setting Dae onto her feet. She immediately ruffled through the backpack. The reason she had not found the medical herbs was because they were packed towards the bottom. During her repacking back at the Water Palace, she must have carelessly set more items atop some of the most vital of them all.

She remedied two problems at once, grabbing all the the medical herbs by the leafy tops and taking a bite out of one of them. The herb was raw, bitter, and a tad bit spicy, but she could feel it working the second she swallowed the plant. The knot in her throat disappeared and her vision cleared up; the curse was broken.

"Feeling better?" Claude asked.

"Much!" Dae replied, relieved. "So what did happen to the moogle? If we lost it, we might not find the village..."

"Actually, that's why we stopped," Niko said, then he pointed around the tree. Behind the foliage, they could see a small pathway leading towards part of a clearing enshrouded by thick trees on all sides. "The moogle ran in there so we were waiting for you guys."

"You think this might be the village?" Claude inquired, looking towards the clearing himself. "I mean, it doesn't look like _much_ of a village to me if it is one."

Dae hoisted the backpack onto her back again. "Well there's really only one way to find out."

"We're just going to barge in there? Won't they run away?" Terran aired his usual doubts with a twinge of concern. "They might even attack us!"

Dae, on the other hand, seemed completely at ease. "Not likely, the moogles are quite passive and peaceful. They don't attack unless provoked. So you shouldn't be worried about anything if you don't offend them."

"Which, in Terran's case with the werewolves, includes just breathing," Claude commented with a smirk.

"I would say just existing," Niko added on.

Terran said nothing in reply, but made sure to give both a mean scowl. They snickered behind his back as he followed Dae out of the woods and onto the path.

As the quartet stepped into the moogle village, they realized that Claude was initially right. There wasn't much to the 'village,' but rather a large, open area bustling with moogles. The trees that covered the expanse on all sides was like a natural wall of defense, and even then the outer rim of the area was laced with boulders. Not much would be able to get through without using the entrance.

But what was most curious about the site was that all moogles great and small had continued going about their routine. The party had been, quite frankly, ignored.

"That's odd,"Claude scratched his cheek. "They're not even a little bit scared of us. After the way that one moogle ran from us, I thought we might cause a stampede."

They took their chances and stepped further into the village, and if anything their presence was nothing more than a nuisance to the more active moogles. Terran could have even swore that one moogle passing by pushed him out of the way.

"Are the moogles used to visitors?" Niko asked. It wasn't entirely out of the question.

"Kupopo."

The group was all puzzled by the strange language, but even more puzzled by the moogle that had suddenly appeared dead ahead of them. It was a little larger than the others and its chest fur had traces of silver. It did not take much to realize that this was perhaps the elder, or at least the leader of the moogles.

"Niko, do you know what it said?" Claude asked the fox.

"Why do you think I would know? This is the first time I've ever seen a moogle!"

Claude shrugged. "You're the only one of us that's not human so there might have been a chance..."

Terran sighed. "If we can't communicate, how are they supposed to lead us to the Wind Palace?"

"Kupo. Kuppipipo."

Dae knelt down to eye level with the moogle. She smiled and asked softly, "Can you understand us?"

"Kupo," the moogle chirped with a bounce. It puffed its chest and extended the two white wings on its back.

"Seems like a yes to me," Terran murmured.

Dae continued. "We are travelers on an important mission. Can you show us to the Wind Palace?"

"Kupoppo!" the elder moogle uttered in a heavy manner. Dae was taken aback, but the moogle nodded, which seemed to be a confirmation.

Dae stood up with some weight lifted off of her shoulders. "Looks like we might have a bit of luck today."

When the moogle yanked on the leg of Claude's pants, however, there was only confusion. He was being pulled further into the village. They had no choice but to follow in order to really know what the elder moogle wanted.

They trekked towards the far back corner where a lone moogle with pink wings and a similarly colored tuft of fur on its chest was perched upon a rock. The elder finally let go of Claude only to confront the other moogle.

"Kupo? Kupi kuppopo!"

The moogle upon the rock made no response or even movement that suggested it was aware of their presence. Nevertheless, the elder moogle proceed to, what they presumed, chew it out.

"**Kupo!**"

That did it.

The moogle slid off of the rock, gave a weak "kupo," to the larger one, and turned to the four visitors with a long, hard gaze. It's eyes were full of sorrow, but its gaze was a strong questioning one, almost demanding a reason for why these outsiders were here, disturbing it. The stare and silence was starting to make everyone uncomfortable, as they shifted and played with their clothing.

"Kupo," it said one more time in what barely qualified as a whisper, and walked away and beyond them, making no effort to avoid the livelier moogles as they pranced about the village.

After about a minute, the elder moogle shoved Claude abruptly in the direction of the pink-winged moogle that was already leaving.

Claude reacted. "What?" The moogle only pushed him again. "Do you want us to follow?"

"I think they understood us after all!" Dae squealed in realization. "That moogle may be showing us to the Wind Palace!"

When that dawned upon the quartet, they broke into a dash through the village to catch up with the moogle. They all looked similar in appearance, but it was the depressed demeanor that was the moogle's most recognizable trait. It only gave a glance behind to confirm that the outsiders were following, and proceeded out of the village.

"Hey, wait up!" Terran called as they all followed it back into the maze-like depths of the Upper Lands.

Lying in wait behind a few bushes were four individuals surveying the event.

"The humans and their beastial companion have left, boss!" One entity squeaked, its voice sounding as if run through a mechanical filter.

"We should have no interferences now!" Another spoke, slightly lower in tone but still with that same odd superficial quality.

"Excellent," replied the deeper voice of a human female. "Activate the bot!"

"Right, boss!" The two others responded in tandem.

The fourth individual behind them suddenly whirred to life, standing upright and rigid. A high-pitched, mechanical whine emitted from its body as its beady eyes flashed red for a split second, confirming its activation.

"Now go!" the woman commanded. "Infiltrate the village but don't forget what I programmed you to do!"

The being stepped forward, its mechanical limbs draped in fur and its steps heavy with metal. It plowed through the bushes that was formerly their hiding spot and trampled plant life in its wake with little recognition of what was once there in an unbridled beeline to the village of the moogles.


	19. CH 17: The Chosen One of Wind

**Chapter 17:** _The Chosen One of Wind_

"Does no one else think this is a little weird?" Terran asked the party. "Do we really know if this moogle is taking us to the Wind Palace?" They had been following the moogle from the village and through the Seasonal Forest to what they assumed would be the Wind Palace. The moogle had not done much to communicate with them since starting the trek, only diligently leading the way. "Maybe we can find the palace ourselves?" he finally suggested.

"That would be fine if any of us actually knew the way," Claude responded flatly.

"I think I knew at some point," Dae admitted. "The path through the forest is like a children's rhyme. If only I could remember..."

They continued to discuss the prospect of the moogle leading them to the Wind Palace or some other place entirely. Not surprisingly, Terran had a hunch that they were being led into a trap that the moogles used to deceive and rid themselves of unwanted visitors. And not surprisingly, no one agreed with him.

It was during the discussion that they finally stopped and realized that they were in an area that didn't look like every other part of the forest. The clearing was populated by old dilapidated houses and huts. The moogle continued its march forward and through the ruins, even as those following it slowed down to investigate.

"What happened here?" Dae gasped. The old homes were covered in years worth of weeds and moss.

"I guess people used to live here a long time ago," Claude suggested softly while Niko peeped through an open doorway to find nothing beyond ruined furniture. The sight reminded Claude of Terran's old village and how it was broken and ruined by the goblins for nearly a decade, and taking a glance at Terran, he could only deduce that his older companion was feeling the same.

"Let's not lose the moogle," Claude said a little more sternly to get their attention. They picked up the pace and walked through to the back and the village and further down the forest path, seeing a building in the distance.

It didn't take long for them to recognize it. The architecture was identical to the Water Palace, from the stained glass to the regal steps leading to a double door entrance. The only differences was that it was noticeably smaller and decidedly didn't take after the Water Palace's aquatic motif. They reached the Wind Palace in no time, the moogle waiting for them on the steps as if beckoning them to enter first. And they did so.

The party stepped into the palace after pushing through the double doors, large torches lit as if expecting them...or perhaps lit indefinitely. The Wind Palace was a singular large room. The pedestal holding the Wind Seed sat in the center of the room, surrounded by the torches. There was no one there except for them, and the moogle who followed them inside shortly afterward.

The area outside was unusually windy, and the palace was built with holes and crevices that allowed a controlled amount of wind to filter into it. As the wind passed through it created whistling similar to reed pipes and flutes. It was a soothing, unrehearsed, natural symphony of the forest enhanced by the palace itself.

Claude ran forward and deeper into the palace, confused. "What's going on? Is this some kind of joke? Nobody is here!"

_At last._

Terran sighed. This was unbelievable. "So we finally get to the Wind Palace, and the Chosen One of Wind isn't here? Well...I didn't see that one coming."

"Maybe they were already here?" Niko thought aloud. He scratched his ear while thinking. He was puzzled, but not quite as aggravated as Claude. "Or maybe they're just not here yet."

_I've been waiting for you._

"Now there's no reason to get upset," Dae murmured softly, placing a hand on Claude's shoulder. "If I have to, I can try contacting Sage Luka telepathically and she can tell us what's going on."

Claude sighed, then gave her a little grin. "Alright, but what do we do now?"

_Have you made your decision? Will you listen to what I have to say?_

Dae gently sat her backpack onto the floor; they might be here for awhile. "Well, we are in the Wind Palace. Maybe we can contact Sylphid and get a better idea of what's going on here."

Terran curiously glanced at Dae. "Do you have any idea how to do that?"

_Don't be afraid. Come over here._

"Um...I was hoping calling out to him might work," admitted the young girl, a bit flustered that she didn't have a better answer. "He may not respond since the Elemental Spirits don't really entertain just anyone's requests, but we're Chosen so maybe...?"

Dae stopped mid sentence. Like everyone else, her attention was now focused on the moogle that had led them to the palace. It had walked right by the Chosen as they had been talking and made its way to the pedestal.

The moogle stopped a few feet away and the torches began to flicker more erratically. A strong gust blew through the palace from seemingly no where, whipping Dae's locks around in the process. The gust centered on a whirlwind near the side of the pedestal. It died down to reveal a being floating in midair. The creature was rotund in figure with purple skin and large fin-like ears, and donned yellow pants with a small round hat.

"Sylphid!?" the four cried in unison.

The elemental guardian of wind chuckled. He had known they were there all along.

"Don't worry, you didn't come here for naught," he assured them. "It took some work to get one of the moogles to lead you to the village, and then another to lead you here."

Dae stepped forward and bowed. "Excuse my asking, if I may, but is there a chosen of wind here?"

"Oh, of course! This moogle that brought you here is special. She is my chosen, if she accepts the terms," Sylphid relayed to the party in an almost casual manner. They traded shocked and incredulous glances amongst each other but said nothing.

"This moogle has been through a lot," Sylphid continued, sensing their feelings on the subject. "She recently lost her mate and child to the growing hazards in the forests."

"Monsters..." Claude muttered, still feeling sore from where the crawler had rolled into him earlier.

Dae held her hands to her mouth. "Horrible beyond words..."

"Indeed. Kuponia's life has been devestated, but her spirit remains. She wants to do something about it, isn't that right?"

The moogle nodded with a solemn, "Kupo."

"I can sense it within you," Sylphid addressed the moogle specifically. "You want to prevent something similar from befalling anyone else. And Sheex, that horrid man, will certainly cause many cataclysms in order to achieve his goals with that foul spirit Galbalan..."

"You mean the sword?" Terran spoke up, recognizing the name. It was definitely what Sheex had referred to it as.

"The sword is but a shell and prison for Galbalan. I'm sure Shade is much more familiar with that vile..._entity_."

"Kupo. Kuppipo," the moogle chirped.

"Ah, so eager to accept?" Sylphid sounded pleasantly surprised. "I deem you worthy of my power. You are blessed...now touch the seed to complete the process."

The moogle nodded silently and climbed the staircase to the top of the pedestal. The seed's faint glow beckoned her touch. Regardless of her prior feelings, she now felt the absolute need to reach out towards that seed. It was a mutual need between moogle and seed, and the deed was completed once she laid her small white paw atop the seed. With little warning, green mana erupted from the seed and a blast of wind surged through the palace after the light blinded those witnessing the birth of a new chosen.

* * *

"Steady...steady..."

The activity in the moogle village drew to a complete halt. A rather large, odd looking moogle had stepped into their midst. While most adult moogles barely reached the waist of a human, this moogle was only a head smaller than the humans that had visited before. And unlike that visit, the moogles were completely uneasy.

"Do you think they know?" the higher robotic voice asked from the ruined bushes outside of the village.

"Kuppopo!" The elder moogle had taken it upon itself to confront the strange moogle and was now demanding an explanation for its presence and appearance.

"Fool!" the woman, clearly in charge, hissed. "Respond!"

"Y-yes sir!" the henchman replied shakily, nearly fumbling the handheld device he was holding. He pressed a single button.

"KUPO," the odd moogle boomed, its mechanical voice carrying awkwardly throughout the village and startling most of its inhabitants. Birds took off in the distance, having been frightened away themselves.

The elder moogle jumped back and was on its guard. It was now quite obvious that this was no ordinary moogle, but it continued its interrogation. "**Kupo! Kuppopo!**"

The foreign moogle repeated its monotone "KUPO" in reply.

"I think they're getting suspicious!" whined one of the boys. Their leader was undeterred.

"Forget about communicating with the moogles," she commanded. "Just look for any types of storage. They have to be hiding it here somewhere!"

"Okay Boss."

The mooglebot stomped forward, nearly trampling the elder moogle in the process, and went right through the center of the village. The moogles watched it curiously, though they kept their distance out of fright. Only the elder moogle followed it in order to know exactly what it was up to. The bot scanned the area and picked up visuals of a green chest nestled between two boulders behind a bush, something any normal creature could have easily missed. Its head had turned awkwardly in that direction, and soon its body followed before it trudged to the box.

Whether the chest had been locked or not had become irrelevant since the mooglebot opened it with enough force to rip the lid off entirely. Inside were several trinkets, magical stones, and rare fruit. The mooglebot's left arm shot forward at frightening speed and lifted a golden belt with the face of a moogle as its buckle.

"WOOHOO!" the boys cried out together.

"Don't celebrate just yet you DOLTS!" their boss chastised. Looking through the monitor on the control device that gave the mechanical moogl's visual feedback, she noticed the elder and several other moogles gathering to confront the intruder. Traces of fear seemed to vanish, or were at least subdued once the moogles realized without a doubt that the strange impostor was after one of their prized possessions.

"It still has to bring the belt back to us. By any means necessary," she added on with murderous intent.

The mooglebot's combat mode was initiated and its eyes erupted with red light.

* * *

"It's hard to believe," Terran uttered incredulously as the party of now five stepped out of the Wind Palace and down the staircase. "I mean...a moogle? A chosen? I didn't think that was possible."

"Well why not?" said Claude in a carefree mood, the cool breeze lightening his spirits. "Niko's chosen. If he can be chosen than anyone can."

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Niko snapped.

Claude shrugged. "Well you are the only...no, you _were_ the only one of us that's not human, so..."

"You've been saying that a lot lately. And the moogle is a lot different from me!"

"I think we should stop calling her 'the moogle,'" Dae interjected. "She's one of us now, right Kuponia?"

"Kupo!" the moogle responded eagerly. It was the most joyful mood they had seen her in since they first met her in the village.

"Hm. Still, this going to be weird," Terran said. "She can understand us but we can't understand her? How is that going to work?"

"We'll find a way," Claude concluded, jumping ahead of the group enthusiastically. "Besides, it's not like we can trade her in or something. Having a moogle in our party might be pretty cool."

Claude's statement had barely finished before and explosion sounded in the distance and shook the earth beneath the startled group. A trail of smoke billowed above the trees in the distance. Three young dragons took off from the treetops, letting out alarmed screeches as they soared above.

"What the heck was that, and in the middle of the forest!?" Terran cried out in confusion. No one could answer his question.

Of them all, only Kuponia was focused in the direction of the explosion. The moogle knew the forest fairly well and there was only one thing of interest in that particular direction: the village.

"_Kupo!_" She shrieked horridly. The cry caught their attention even if they had no idea what she was trying to say to them.

"Kuponia, do you know what's going on?" Dae asked, suspecting it. She looked towards the others for anymore ideas.

The moogle made no attempt to explain herself but instead made off in a mad dash.

"Where are you going!?" Terran called after her. They had no choice but to follow her. "I knew this wasn't going to work," he muttered begrudgingly down the forest path.

Halfway to the village, the party began to realize where Kuponia was leading them. And upon arrival, they realized that their suspicions as well as her own were true.

Near the center of the village was a smoking crater, the embers within still heated like hot coals. Off to the side were several moogles surrounding and nursing their elder. He looked a little worse for wear but that was about it. Regardless, Kuponia made her way into the group of moogles and began, what the rest of the party assumed, questioning them.

Claude had taken a peak in the crater while the moogles rattled off in their own language. It wasn't that big but it still took something pretty powerful to make it. He could find no signs of bodies, so whatever struck either had really poor aim, or was just using that as a warning.

Glancing over, he saw the remains of a treasure chest and its contents spilled over in a hurry. That was clearly no accident.

"Kupopopo!" One moogle relayed to Kuponia exasperatedly. That same bit of information had also been discovered by Niko near simultaneously.

"Hey guys, look at this," he beckoned, kneeling towards the entrance to the village. They gathered, moogle in tow, around him. In the ground were imprints; the heavy, mechanical body of the intruder had left them in its hurry to get away.

"Imagine that. They even left us a trail to follow. How nice," Claude said with a smack of sarcasm.

"Kupo!" Kuponia pointed into the forest depths, where the trail led.

"I guess there's no way to avoid following the path, huh?" Terran asked, looking between his comrades with a tiny shred of hope in his speech.

Niko looked a bit disturbed. "Well, don't you _want_ to know who did this?"

"I..."

"The moogles helped us!" Dae jumped in. "And this is Kuponia's home! At the very least, we should find out why this happened."

"Kupo!"

Terran raised his palms and waved them defensively. "Alright, alright," he admitted, defeated. He feared that Claude would have been next had he not ended it there. "Let's follow the trail and find out who did this."

Claude nodded. "Exactly what I was going to say. But be on alert; this is the Upper Lands and it could have been anything."

With that said, the party ran along the trail of heavy footprints into the forest depths. As what little path there was closed around the pursued, its fortified mechanical body resorted to using force, leaving the chosen to hurdle over the wreckage of trampled foliage. Small trees had been broken or toppled over completely.

They had only followed it for a few minutes when they caught up to the offender; the large moogle was apparently not very quick.

"Kupo!" Kuponia screeched at the sight of the robotic moogle. She knew quite well that it was the impostor from what the others had told her in the village.

Dae could see its back and the sharp, metallic wings that rested on it, but still couldn't quite make out what it was. "That must be it!"

"Hey, you!" Claude called after it.

The mooglebot responded in a way that startled them all. It's head did a complete 180 degree turn while its body was still barging through the forest ahead. Its pupils turned a bright red, filling them all with a sinking filling.

"Watch out!"

Everyone took cover, from rolling along the ground to jumping behind bushes. Two red-hot piercing laser beams were emitted from the mooglebots eyes and cut a swath through the forest behind it. Smaller trees were severed by the beams while the larger ones erupted into flames at the point of impact. The only target who wasn't in immediate danger was Kuponia, as the beams had gone well over her head.

"I'm not the only one who saw that, right!?" Terran squeaked as he toiled with the bush that had snagged his vest. "Does anyone even know what the hell that was!?"

Claude dusted himself off and unsheathed his sword. "If that was a form of magic, then it's completely new to me."

"We saw something like that before," Dae thought back, looking into the flames behind them. "A Lumina spell, I believe. Or maybe a Salamando heat ray."

"No, I meant the spinning head thingy."

"Oh...well I have no explanation for that." Dae shrugged, it was one of the few things she felt comfortable enough to do after cutting it so close with that attack. She checked her ponytails to make sure they hadn't been singed.

"Well? Don't you want to find out what that 'spinning head thingy' was?" If anything, being fired upon excited Niko, and his tail swished about energetically. "Come on before it gets away!"

"No," Claude said quickly, holding out his arm to block Niko's path. "We should follow it but keep our distance. We don't want whatever the hell that thing was shooting at us again."

"That sounds fine by me," Terran agreed, finally freeing his vest from the bush. He made sure to give Niko a disapproving look over his eagerness, regardless of its impact or if the fox was even aware of it.

* * *

"Why are those brats following us?" The one mechanical lackey complained, his gears grinding to a halt behind the caped leader.

Their boss smiled a devilish smile as they had stepped into a small clearing lined on one side by a small ridge above. "They're too nosy for their own good. I'll get them out of my hair once and for all."

The mooglebot had entered behind them and stopped, motionless. It stood rigid, simply awaiting its next orders.

The Boss flicked the golden lock on her face in a flashy, arrogant motion before strutting over to the mooglebot and retrieving the belt from its metal claws. She could see her reflection in the golden face of the moogle that served as the belt's buckle, and finally appreciated the craftsmanship of the piece they had stolen. She would have kept it for herself had they not been stealing it for someone else to begin with.

They heard rustling in the distance; it was undoubtedly their pursuers catching up, and The Boss made a single gesture towards the small ridge to their side. The rocky surface of the wall was formed in a way that made the rocks adjacent to each other, like small stepping stones that the trio used to make their way to the grassy top, lying in wait for the Chosen.

The group had spotted the mooglebot standing alone in the clearing and did well to stay hidden under the shadows of the trees and out of its direct line of fire, though that would be a feat in itself with the robot's rotating head. It did not seem to acknowledge their presence in the least, or was simply unaware, so they stayed low to the ground behind a set of bushes and began to discuss and examine the mooglebot in hushed voices.

"What is that?"

"It looks like a moogle, doesn't it? But something's off about it."

"None of the moogles in the village were that big."

"Yeah, and I'm sure none of them could do the spinning head thingy or the eye beams. Unless you can prove that they can, Kuponia?"

"_Kupo_."

"Ehh...I'll take that as a 'no.'"

The Boss's patience was wearing thin and she decided to cut to the chase. "Now, there's no reason to hide!"

The chosen looked to the ridge above and realized that they had been exposed long ago by the woman. Slowly, they each stepped out of hiding, revealing the team of three humans, a fox, and a moogle. The woman stood triumphantly on the end of the ridge, giving them all a good look at who had called them out.

Her face was partially covered by a magenta masquerade mask and a long lock of blond hair. On her body were two purple shoulder pads, and a purple one piece suit that...accentuated her curves. It didn't leave much to the imagination, but it was fortified like light armor. Along her back was a cape, and her legs were fitted in knee-high boots, both a similar color to her mask. At the very least, it could be said that she didn't leave home without matching...and turning a few heads.

"Ha! I was right. You all are nothing more than children, playing where you don't belong." The Boss flicked her air in an almost dismissive manner in reference to the people below her.

"Yeah, and who are you, then?" Claude demanded, pointing his sword at the woman.

"And...what are _they_?" Terran thought aloud when the woman's two lackeys appeared behind her. Their bodies were, simply put, unnatural. Their long, skinny green limbs connected to each other like joints. Their midsections were hiked up high onto their tall legs, and the metal armor they wore seemed to be part of their bodies.

"She is The Boss!" The two lackeys said, even without visible mouths. Their words reverberated as if fed through a scratchy filter.

"And these are my Boys," The Boss added, making a quick hand gesture towards the two behind her. "Together, we form the Scorpion Army!"

The party, their weapons already drawn, had raised them in preparation for battle. They formed a small circle, facing all directions. If there was an army, they were most likely hiding in the woods. The Chosen may have been surrounded, walking right into an ambush set up by the rest of the army.

After a few moments, The Boss was starting to become annoyed at how everyone had stopped paying attention to her. Just as she was about to question them, Niko had said what everyone else had been thinking.

"Where's the rest of the army?"

"What!?" The Boss nearly toppled over and off the ridge. She wasn't expecting that question.

"There's only three of you," Niko pointed out. "That's not an army."

The Boss recovered, and replied in a pretentious tone. "An army is not defined by its size, but rather by its strength."

Niko scratched behind his left ear. He hadn't heard that one before. "No, I'm pretty sure you need more than three people for it to be an army."

"You INSOLENT beast!" The Boss's demeanor had changed and she had lost her patience from arguing with the fox. "You will learn to respect the Scorpion Army!"

Claude raised a brow through the entire exchange. He had no choice but to be skeptical; it sounded like a bad joke and he wasn't sure if he should laugh or not. "So...let me get this straight. You're an army but there's only three of you, and coincidentally, neither of the three of you have any real names?"

A small giggle escaped Dae's hand as she clasped her mouth shut.

The Boss's eye twitched. "Such IMPUDENCE from children these days!" She snatched the control unit from one of her underlings and tossed him the belt in return. "I was feeling generous earlier and thought that I'd allow you to leave with your lives. However, your disrespect proves that you will be nothing more than a thorn in my side that will need to be extracted eventually. So fine, it'll be your undoing."

The Boss fiddled with the device until the machine below sprung to life. "Lo and behold, the Mooglebot 1.0!" The robot's eyes flashed for a brief moment before it turned towards the five heroes.

"Destroy them!" The Boss commanded with glee.

"Yeah!" The Boys added on in unison.

The mooglebot went into combat mode, scanning all five opponents in its visual range. From there, the combat AI took over and it charged forward with its arms extended, hoping to catch one of them in a heavy metal bearhug.

The machine wasn't very fast, so the party had ample time to scatter.

As Terran leapt away, he swung his spear into the side of the mooglebot. His weapon recoiled; the robot was completely unharmed, so he backed off quickly enough for Dae to follow up by releasing an arrow. Her aim sent the arrow careening into the mooglebot's chest at an angle, which splintered on impact. The ruined arrow tumbled into the grass at the mooglebot's feet in a pathetic heap.

The bot turned slowly and prepared for a counter attack. It held out its right paw, which balled into a fist. Smoke expelled from its wrist before the fist detached and shot forward. Dae screamed as she ducked low to the ground. The rocket fist barely missed her head and careened into the tree behind her instead.

"Bad move!" Claude shouted. He had been concentrating on charging one of his techniques while the mooglebot was dealing with Terran and Dae. With the technique prepared, he ran forward and leapt through the air, spinning once before executing his _Jump Slash_ and bringing the silver blade down onto the mooglebot's extended arm. He was going to cut it off by the shoulder.

Or at least, that was what he had intended. When the sword hit the robot, it only cut deep enough to leave a gash in the fake fur, exposing part of the metal body of the mooglebot, shining in the sunlight. Despite the attack, the robot seemed to be focusing only on retrieving its fist, which had removed itself from the tree and was hovering back, having left a sizable hole in the impact area.

Taking advantage of the machine's distraction, Niko jumped into the fray and planted a kick on the mooglebot's backside beneath its metallic wings, then spun on his heel and brought that same leg crashing into what anyone would have assumed was the robot's gut. Claude followed up with another slash of the sword, but this time it bounced off of metal. Their attacks were having no effect.

As soon as the fist reattached, the mooglebot raised its other arm and its upper body spun a full 360 degrees, making several revolutions and sending Claude and Niko spiraling onto the ground after being struck by flailing limbs. They rolled away while the robot was still spinning.

"Our attacks aren't doing anything," Claude complained, rubbing the sore spot on his chest where he had taken a direct hit. "It's made of some kind of metal that's resisting everything."

"I'm going to try something," Terran said, not far behind Claude. He began to chant, summoning the power of Gnome for offensive purposes.

The Boss poked her lower lip out when she saw Terran. "What is he doing? I don't like that." She pressed a button on the control unit, prompting the mooglebot to turn towards the young man.

Claude held up his blade, prepared to go back in if he needed to buy time for Terran's spell. To his amazement, he was beaten to the punch by Kuponia.

The real moogle attacked the fake one, using her claws to scratch and tear at the machine's legs. The fur covering was starting to shred, and the mooglebot had no choice but to deal with the immediate threat, punting the little moogle through the air.

Kuponia rolled to a stop, bruised. Dae ran to her side. Whatever the moogle intended to get out of such an attack worked; Terran's spell was completed.

"Earth Slide," Terran said sternly. It was low and quiet, but commanding, and all that needed to be said.

The ground rumbled, and to the far side of the clearing, a piece of the earth was magically upheaved, leaving a hole in the ground. The large mound of dirt was rolled and hardened into a boulder. Terran pointed to it with his index and middle fingers, and swiftly motioned towards the mooglebot.

The boulder followed his instructions, swinging through the air and colliding right into the robot. The boulder exploded into dirt and rubble, but struck with enough force to send the mooglebot toppling over like a stiff wooden board.

Terran knocked the ground with the butt of his spear, holding it with an air of pride. It was the first spell he had pulled off that had not been rendered useless by his opponent.

The mooglebot rose just as awkwardly as it had fallen. It planted its two legs against the ground in an upright position, and the rest of its body followed. Terran's ego had been bruised a bit after seeing how quickly the robot had recovered from his attack, but they all knew the battle wouldn't have been won so easily anyway.

Cackling echoed from above. The Boss enjoyed seeing their reactions, and The Boys joined in on the celebration.

"Your struggles are futile!" The Boss threw her hands on her hips and continued to cackle.

The mooglebot retaliated when its eyes turned a bright red and emitted lasers, swinging its head to the side. Claude and Terran dove to the ground to avoid the familiar attack, leaving the trees behind them to be set ablaze.

"You're going to burn the whole forest down if you don't cool off!" Dae exclaimed, pointing her open palm in the machine's direction. She had prepared a Freeze spell, and took all the time she had needed while Terran had been attacking it with his own magic.

The blue mana dissipated from her hand and the spell was executed. Frozen chunks of ice formed in midair before raining down onto the mooglebot, pummeling it with a lethal storm of hail. The ice and frost building up along its body with each hit didn't seem to bother it much, as it fired another laser at Claude and Terran. They rolled out of the way as the searing laser burrowed into the grass they had been lying on only seconds earlier, resulting in a fiery blast.

"Even magic isn't doing anything to it," Niko said, a bit surprised. Nevertheless, he wasn't going to let that stop his determination.

"Niko, wait!" Dae called out as he ran towards the mooglebot. Even with its back turned, it was aware that there was danger on all sides, so it went into another one of its whirly punches, spinning its torso around and around with its mechanical limbs extended and swinging about. With no way in, Niko had no choice but to back off.

"Oh, this is grand!" The Boss crowed, adding insult to injury. "I almost feel sorry for them. _Almost._"

"Yeah, it's a good thing none of them know any kind of lightning magic!" One of the boys blurted in a careless manner.

The Boss whipped around in utter disbelief. "Don't say something like that out loud you DOLTS!"

"It wasn't me!" One of her lackeys whined in defense. But the damage had already been done.

The party had traded glances with each other before their eyes rested on their newest member, Kuponia. Dae was still by her side after she had been kicked by the mooglebot.

"Kuponia, you can use the Thunderbolt spell, right?" Dae asked softly.

"Kupo," the moogle confirmed with a nod.

The Boss began to grit her teeth anxiously when purple mana enshrouded the body of the moogle. Yet another screwup from one of her underlings may have cost them the fight...but not just yet.

"Annihilate the moogle!" She commanded in a panic. "Do it NOW!"

The mooglebot immediately turned its sights upon Kuponia and took a few heavy steps forward.

"Oh, no you don't!" Terran proclaimed, moving towards the robot. He spun his spear above his head with both hands, unfortunately leaving himself open when the mooglebot responded with another Rocket Fist that plowed right into him. The fist carried him through the air and slammed him into a tree before returning to its source.

Terran's distraction had given Dae enough time to prepare her attack. The arrow that she was aiming was suddenly enveloped in a blue-green aura. She released the arrow and the impact happened within the fraction of a second. The arrow was disintegrated upon contact, but the attack was powerful enough to send the mooglebot toppling over.

The Boss chewed on the fingers of her gloves. The purple mana that had been emitting from the moogle dissipated; the spell was executed.

Thunder rumbled ominously from the dark cloud that formulated in the sky above. The mooglebot seemed oblivious to the danger and continued to carry out its orders by closing in on Kuponia. In a flash of light, a single bolt of lightning struck the machine. The crash alarmed everyone upon the battlefield: Dae and Kuponia quickly distanced themselves from the target, while The Boys dove onto the ground behind their boss, cowering on her cape.

The mooglebot ceased movement but initially appeared unharmed. Without warning, the robot's head did a complete spin while smoke and sparks fumed and jumped out of every joint on its body. Circuitry sizzled and crackled, causing some of the mooglebot's limbs to jerk violently. Eventually, it returned to a standstill, seemingly unresponsive.

"Shoot. The legs aren't moving and some of the weapons may be fried," The Boss stated as calmly as she could, which was through gritted teeth. The Boys quivered behind her.

"Maybe we should switch to mobile mode?" One of her subordinates suggested hopefully.

"I was already going to do that!" The Boss barked, flicking a switch on the control unit. The mooglebot knelt down low to the ground until its legs folded in on themselves. The base of its metallic shins opened up to reveal treads. Immediately putting its new mode of transportation into working order, the bot revved the treads up, chucking mounds of dirt behind it before shooting forward.

Dae and Kuponia barely avoided the speeding robot. Dae dove to the side while Kuponia took off running in an arc; she was obviously the target of its pursuit, most likely keeping her on the move so she wouldn't have the chance to get off another Thunderbolt spell.

"We have to do something to keep that robot off of her back!" Claude shouted, scanning the area. There was nothing in immediate range he could use to his advantage, and realized that he might have to engage the mooglebot directly just to buy some time.

"Wait," Terran said quickly, noticing Claude's stance was of one ready to pounce. "There's another spell I can try."

Another spell. More than ever Claude had wished he had magical power of his own upon watching the mana seeping across Terran's hands. He didn't know how much effect light spells would have on this machine in particular, but it seemed like magic in general was having more of a lasting effect than any of their physical attacks.

The mana dissipated when Terran pointed an open palm towards the mooglebot. It violently halted in its tracks when roots burst from the ground below it, latching onto its body, limbs and head. The treads continued to turn but only plowed into the dirt below. Kuponia had taken the time to get as far away as possible, running over to a beckoning Claude.

"Okay Kuponia, your Thunderbolt spell is our best bet," he told her quickly, eying the mooglebot with every word. "Do you think you can do another one?"

The moogle nodded in response.

"It's not going to hold long enough!" Terran warned, watching the robot struggle to escape its earthly prison. The mooglebot's treads continued to dig deeper into the earth until they grinded against the roots themselves. Shredding the overgrowth and roots beneath it, the mooglebot freed itself when they fell limp and lifeless once disconnected from their source; the Speed Down spell had now been rendered ineffective.

Claude motioned to the others. "Hurry, before it recovers!" he cried out.

"Do you have a plan?" Niko asked once the party regrouped.

"The only thing I can think of is to use more Thunderbolt spells," Claude told them solemnly, shaking his head. He looked down to Kuponia. "The Scorpion Army isn't going to let that happen, so we all might have to take on that robot at once to buy more time."

Terran sighed. "But that thing is incredibly powerful. Our weapons have hardly any effect, and it just recovers from all of our spells...and it probably has more tricks up its sleeve." He rubbed his stomach where the rocket fist had connected. It was still painful, but he didn't want to give away how much of an impact it had had on him to the others; the sneering woman above moreso than his friends.

"Don't despair, Terran," Dae comforted him, lightly touching his arm with her free hand. "Thunderbolt's worked the best, and the looks on those goons' faces pretty much gave it away. Well, so did their mouths but, you know what I mean. Kuponia is our trump card. She'll come through if we give her the chance."

"Stop fooling with those roots and GET THEM!" The Boss shrieked. "And annihilate the little beast!"

The mooglebot had disposed of the remaining roots from the Speed Down spell with a red hot eye laser blast instead of focusing on its true opponents. "When I build a version 2.0, and _oh there will be one,_" she stressed, craning her neck and eying her underlings lividly in anticipation of any protests, "the first thing I'm going to do is make sure it completely follows through with all given commands much more efficiently!"

"It's time," Claude state finitely upon hearing the treads of the mooglebot approaching. The team spread out to surround it in a semicircle. Kuponia resided behind Claude and began summoning mana for another Thunderbolt spell.

"Wait, what's that?" Terran pointed towards the head unit, where a small red ball connected to a wire rose out of the very top. The Boss and her boys snickered, knowing full well the intentions behind it. The ball rocked back and forth with the wire holding it bending and swinging loosely.

The ball disconnected in a blink of the eye, hitting Niko squarely in his chest. He caught it purely by reaction. The ball had a fuzzy texture and glowed in his hands.

"NIKO, THROW IT BE-"

The emanating blast cut Claude's plead short and slammed him and the others through the ground.

"Oh Goddess!"

Claude's head was pounding. His vision was blurred and what little he could see was spinning. He did recognize Terran's voice, which meant that his comrade was, at the very least, still alive. But it was certainly much more distressed than usual.

"Oh Goddess, no!"

He pushed his face off of the grass and rose to his knees. He could see through his clearing vision that Kuponia wasn't far from him. She was also knocked down by the bomb, canceling her spell out, but she seemed to be fine.

It was the smoking crater behind him that left him worried.

"Look at what they did to him!!" Terran screamed. His spear lay at his feet while his vision was fixated on the body in the hole. "They killed Niko!"

"Terran, calm down!" Claude demanded, running over to the older man and shaking him by the shoulders. "We have another Cup of Wishes! It's not too late..."

The words brought his mind to the possessor of the cup and if she was okay. "Dae? DAE!"

The Boss gaped a bit at the sight while Claude and Terran ran to Dae's side. "Well why did it throw the bomb at that one? Can't it tell the fleabags apart!?"

The Boys remained silent.

"I wanted it to annihilate the little beast, not the big one! Oh well, if that big fleabag had stayed tucked away in the desert of Kakkara where he and the rest of his kind belong so I don't have to see them, perhaps this would have never happened." The Boss spoke casually and placed her hands on her hips as if the mistake had been no big deal. "There was also his insolence. Yes, if he wasn't so insolent, I think things may have turned out better for him."

"Boss..." one of her subordinates started meekly. "If the brats use a Cup of Wishes, they can revive their friend and the attack would have been all for nothing. And that's the only Pom Pom Bomb we had equipped the Mooglebot with, so-"

"What makes you think I don't already KNOW that?" She squawked fiercely in reply. The Boys recoiled. "Initiating Berserker Mode!"

"No, NO! Oh, not Niko..." Dae pressed her hands against her face while Terran held her steady. She couldn't take her eyes off of the motionless fox lying within the crater.

Claude had already went scrummaging desperately through the backpack and yanked the chalice out as hard as he could. He headed straight for the crater, jumping back only inches away from yet another blast from the eye lasers. "That thing is really starting to get on my damn nerves!"

"You haven't seen the half of it!" The Boss whooped over the destruction the laser was bringing about. The mooglebot's head began to spin wildly and endlessly in a full 360 degrees. Its arms extended but the fists never shot off. Only sparks whizzed out of the wrist joints, most likely fried by the Thunderbolt spell, so it lowered its limbs and tried a different method of attack: the razor-sharp wings on its back.

The metallic wings extended and shot off the mooglebot's back, whipping through the area, cutting effortlessly through trees and foliage, ultimately adding to the destruction by the constant laser fire. The machine's new style of attack had given its opponents no choice but to stay low to the ground.

"It's trying to stop us from helping Niko!" Dae cried over the destruction. A tiny squeal escaped her lips when one of the wings cut along the ground between herself and Claude. She watched intensely as the wings returned to the mooglebot like boomerangs, reattaching to its back with a 'clank.'

Claude attempted to take advantage of the opportunity and crawled under the spinning laser and towards Niko, only for the razor wings to be redeployed and thrash through the forest and even along the ridge wall the Scorpion Army was residing on. The Boss could do nothing but cackle at the sight. However, The Boys felt uneasy about the mooglebot's power being unleashed in such an unbridled manner.

Terran slowed his breathing to prepare himself to undergo the task he had decided on. His newfound calmness had reminded him of Gnome's words back in the Underground Palace two days before. He placed his faith in his own ability and broke into a dash towards Niko and drove his spear into the ground. The earth jutted upward and mended itself into an oval shaped shield. He collapsed to his knees and huffed, still clutching onto the spear as his comrades each scrambled behind the wall. The constant usage of mana was starting to take a toll on him and was physically draining.

Claude and Dae were at Niko's side instantly, and Claude wasted no time waiting for the chalice to fill completely; he doused the revival elixir across the fox's body. Now all they had to do was anxiously watch and wait as his burns healed.

The mooglebot continued its assault as if oblivious to the stone wall. The laser had seared across it a couple of times, and one of the wings left a deep cut, but it was still holding quite well. The Boss didn't like this turn of events at all, but she said nothing. The robot reacted on its own, turning its torso towards the wall. Its chest fur rose to reveal a cavity packed with Mini Mog Missiles, the end of the missiles painted ironically with the happy face of a young moogle.

Two of the projectiles were launched out of the chest cavity and exploded against the stone wall, blowing the top of it completely apart and raining pebbles down upon those it protected.

"I'm not sure if I have enough mana to make another wall!" Terran cried, hoping what was left would defend them long enough.

"Kupo," the moogle behind him chirped. He didn't pay her response any mind until the faint glow of purple mana formed between her two paws.

Niko's eyes snapped open and he sat up instantly, coughing up black smoke. "What happened?" he managed to choke out.

"The robot got you with its bomb," Claude responded, dropping the useless and now brittle chalice to the ground.

The fox gave him a blank look. ".....what?"

"You blew up!" Claude replied again, then sighed and smiled. He wasn't sure if Niko was trying to be daft or not after the incident, but at least he was alive.

Dae, on the other hand, was still a bit distraught. "Are you okay? Do you need to be healed?" She bombarded Niko with questions. "Can you see? How many fingers am I holding up?" She waved her hand in front of his face.

"I don't know..." Niko groaned, rubbing his eyes. "My ears are ringing...and my fur is singed."

"NO!" The Boss screamed. It was a combination of seeing Niko alive and well, and the mana emanating from Kuponia that sent her over the edge. She mashed buttons on the control unit but by the time the mooglebot canceled its attacks, it was already too late. Lightning surged through yet another dark cloud in the sky, sending a bolt crashing right into the machine.

The mooglebot leaned forward as its gears finally whirred to a stop. Both sides were left speechless, but all eyes remained on the robot. A faint glow poured into the mooglebot's eyes and it stood rigid, but for the most part, did nothing.

The Boss threw her head back in an exaggerated motion and brought forth a haughty laugh from deep within. "It's simply rebooting! Your little thunderbolts only temporarily disabled my finely crafted piece of metallic ART! It'll be back online in a minute or two, better than ever, and it will finally put an end to you impudent children!"

"Not if we stop it first!" Claude roared in high spirits, leading the charge with his sword gripped tightly in both hands. Terran lagged behind a bit, but Kuponia was right on his heels.

"Dae?" Niko uttered in surprise when the girl held him back.

"I think you should sit this one out. You're just recovering."

"I can still fight..." Niko protested quietly, feeling a bit hurt by the notion.

Dae slowly shook her head. "We don't want you getting in any worse shape. We just revived you! And I don't think that woman likes your kind very much." Dae glowered at The Boss watching them from above.

Claude was almost in striking distance when he made an abrupt stop. He had seen a flash of light surround the mooglebot, and just in time. A second later, the light had erupted into an electrical forcefield, shielding the robot in a dome.

The Boss could not help but screech in laughter again. "What? You thought I'd make such an amateurish flaw as to leave the Mooglebot 1.0 completely defenseless while it was rebooting?"

"Actually boss, that was my idea," one of The Boys interjected.

"SILENCE IMBECILES!"

"But I'm not the one who said it!" an underling whined to deaf ears.

The electrical field around the mooglebot crackled, shooting a few sparks off every few seconds. Claude took a few steps back when sparks fell near his boots. He wasn't going to take the chance of trying to strike it directly with his sword. Kuponia on the other hand, wanted to tempt fate and her newfound abilities, only to be yanked back by Claude.

"I don't think you want to do that," he told her, and they continued to retreat.

"That's right! BACK AWAY! I think your little lightning spells made the forcefield stronger! Oh, how ironic!" The Boss pulled no punches and continued to toss more inflammatory commentary their way.

Claude was at a loss on how to get around the barrier, but Dae had a hunch of her own. She nocked an arrow and let it loose. It slammed into the mooglebot and, like the arrows before, was broken upon its hard metallic shell. The Boss continued to revel in the situation, completely oblivious to the fact that Dae had discovered a major flaw.

The apprentice sage had beckoned her comrades in close, with a confident, almost devilish smile drawn across her face.

"Okay guys, I think I know how we can stop this thing once and for all. It's a machine, right? And all machines must have a power source, or else they can't run on their own."

Terran's face lit up; Dae may have been on to something. "Well have you figured out how to pierce its metal?"

"We don't have to. See, I assumed its power source was protected well enough on the inside. Who wouldn't? Anyways, when the robot shot off its wings, I noticed a pod coming out of its back. I have a good feeling that that's its power core."

Claude was impressed. "Breaking that pod is a great idea, but we can't get close enough."

"Again, we don't have to. Did you see what my arrow did?" she asked, still smiling. It dawned on them. "No barrier. It reacts to people but not projectiles, so I want to try a new technique."

No one questioned Dae. They gave her space as she nocked an arrow and closed her eyes. Her brow twitched and her face began to show strain as she concentrated. If she could just do more than just empower the arrow. If only she could tell it what to do...

The summoning of the power within was brought to fruition as the others witnessed a thin white veil envelop Dae's arrow. She opened her eyes and her face warmed up. She didn't have to see the aura for herself; she could feel it.

She released the arrow, but her eyes were not focused on her target. The arrow was the sole subject of her vision, and changed trajectory mid-flight, curving around the mooglebot, under one of its metal wings and up into the pod on its back. There was a crack and a pop as two transparent white spheres plopped onto the grass below. The machine that formerly possessed them went dead entirely and toppled over.

They traded glances and inched forward while The Boss stood in stunned silence. Her lackeys were in a similar state, having witnessed the mooglebot taken out in one quick motion.

Kuponia stayed behind, as did Niko per Dae's earlier request, just in case the battle wasn't really over. They watched from a distance as Claude kicked the mooglebot's disabled shell for a reaction. Terran preferred to keep a few feet of space away from the metal monstrosity, instead watching Dae's face in reaction to the two orbs on the ground.

"Mana orbs!" She recognized them and scooped them into the backpack.

The Boss had her delayed reaction, screaming at the defeat. The others looked to her, and Claude scowled.

"Terran, get them down here."

"You mean with my magic? They might get hurt."

"Their damn robot _blew up_ Niko, remember? Get them down here!"

Terran felt a pang of guilt and anger before obliging. He reared back and hurled his spear forward and through the air like a harpoon, embedding the head into the rocky wall. The Boss looked on, stupefied, until the ridge began to shake. The footing she and her underlings had been using started to crumble under the increasing quake. They fell along with the rubble and collapsed in a heap at Claude and Terran's feet.

The Boss landed with her legs in the air. She swiveled and climbed across her lackeys to situate herself before she found the silver blade of the Broad Sword pointed dangerously close to her neck.

"Alright, you better start talking," Claude threatened, pushing the sword a little closer. "Who exactly are you and why are you here?"

The Boss attempted to keep her cool under the current situation, brushing the thick strand of blond hair from across her face. "I told you before, we're The Scorpion Army."

Her response only served to annoy Claude further. "That joke's not good enough to tell twice."

"It's not a joke you impudent little-!" She fell silent when she felt the cold metal against her cheek. Instead, she gave a long, hateful glare towards Terran as she watched him retrieve his spear from the wall of the ridge.

"It's true. We ARE The Scorpion Army!" Screeched one mechanical voice.

"And our ultimate goal is world domination!" The Boss finished, finding newfound enthusiasm from the support of her subordinate.

"That still doesn't explain why you attacked the moogles," Dae said while securing the two mana orbs in her backpack.

Kuponia had surprised them all when she scuttled atop the debris of the ridge, hopping off the head of one of The Boss's mechanical lackeys and reached into a gap. She retrieved the golden belt, let out a satisfied "kupo" and climbed off of the debris in high spirits, as if the previous battle hadn't happened at all.

Claude sighed. All this fighting over a belt. "That's what you took from that chest, isn't it?"

"There was a client in Gold City willing to pay 50,000 gold for that belt if we brought it to him. That moogle village is the only place I was certain would have one."

Claude eyed her curiously. "So...what does it do?"

The Boss let out a sudden, cynical laugh. "You mean to tell me you fools almost got destroyed by the Mooglebot 1.0 for this and you don't even know what it does?"

"You're the one that instigated this!" Dae blurted sharply. "Attacking those poor moogles and stealing from them! So maybe you should remember the position you're in because we don't have a lot of patience right now!"

The Boss chuckled to herself. She even had the mild-mannered girl on her back. "The Moogle Belt let's whoever wear it temporarily transform their figure into a moogle. It also has the benefit of letting the wearer understand the moogle language. It's a shame we didn't succeed this time, because getting rich is just the first step to world domination."

"You people can't be serious?" Terran asked in all his skeptical glory. "Is this what you consider world domination? Stealing belts from moogles? What would you do if Vandole was terrorizing the skies right now with the Mana Fortress? Huh? HUH!?"

"Vandole was a phony. We will be the real world dominators!" One of The Boys cried enthusiastically. Terran rolled his eyes. They were bigger morons than he imagined.

Claude closed his eyes, contemplating the results of the battle. He sighed and sheathed his sword to the surprise of the others.

"What are you doing?" Terran whispered harshly in his ear.

"We're not _murderers_," Claude stressed, backing off from the woman and her mechanical subordinates.

"But they're criminals," Niko said, appearing behind him. "They should at least be arrested, especially after what they did to me!"

"There's no civilization for miles," Claude responded, knowing that Niko most likely wanted some kind of revenge. They all did. "We can't really 'arrest' them with no jail to hold them in, and I'm pretty sure the moogles don't want to see these three's faces in their village again."

The Boss stood and brushed the dirt, dust and grass from her clothes. Her lackeys similarly cleaned her cape until she pushed them away. "Okay, so you're not ordinary kids," she admitted, brushing her hair to the side with a gloved hand. "You know who we are, but we don't know who you are."

"We're the Chosen of Mana," Dae replied carefully. "That's really all you need to know."

"And if you know what's good for you, you'll get out of here as soon as possible and take that hunk of junk with you too!" Terran demanded in one of his rare commanding tones.

The Boss simply chuckled to herself and whipped out the control unit. "Oh, you don't have to worry about the Mooglebot 1.0!"

She pressed a single button and the mooglebot's inanimate body erupted into a fiery explosion, sending gears, metal limbs and other robotic innards raining down from above. When the turmoil cleared, the Scorpion Army had vanished, no doubt using the cover of the chaos to escape.

"So what now?" Dae asked, staring into the burning remains of their former enemy.

"The immediate threat is gone..." Claude said. "Let's go back to the village."

"Before we do that," Terran began sheepishly. "Can I get a piece of candy? My stomach is killing me from that rocket fist attack." He rubbed his stomach and grimaced as they left the area.

They were watched from a distance. Confined in the darkness of the trees, The Scorpion Army waited. The Boss in particular couldn't help casting glances at the melting husk of the Mooglebot 1.0 as she leaned against a tree. She ran ideas for improvements through her head.

"Uh...boss?" The underling's mechanical voice carried a metallic echo as he meekly attempted to contact his leader. "There's something I think we should talk about, regarding those kids."

"I don't want to think about those Children of Mana," she snapped without moving. Her subordinate flinched but pressed on.

"Actually, they called themselves Chosen of Mana, but..."

"What's your point!?"

"I've seen the boy before!" he shrieked in reply. "The one with the sword!"

The Boss couldn't help but turn around and eye him with much curiosity; even his robotic twin was listening. It was such an odd thing to bring up. Even if he had seen one of them before, what relevance would it have now? "Okay, so where do you remember him from?"

"Remember when we were in Gold City? There were fliers plastered everywhere for a kidnapped and missing kid...with a reward."

"And I remember saying that rescuing kids isn't our shtick you DOLT!" She turned back around, swinging her cape in a grand arc. "You're wasting my time."

"He was the kid on the flier!"

"Ah, I remember that now," his partner jumped in, recalling their recent trip to Gold City. "The reward was 100,000 Gold, was it not?"

The Boss' face lit up a bit behind her masquerade mask. Even so, her back was still turned to them. "Even if both of your memory banks aren't completely fried and you remember those fliers correctly, the kid didn't look kidnapped to me."

"But his parents don't know thaaaaat," her first lackey nefariously concluded.

The Boss turned around again, this time her lips slowly curling into a smile. "...and all we have to do is catch that kid and bring him back to his parents. They'll be so elated to have their little boy back that they won't really care about how we...'rescued' him, or if we even did at all." She let out a short cackle. "What a wonderful idea! I'm glad I thought of it!"

The Boys traded weary glances as their boss marched deeper into the forest.

"Where are we going?" they asked in unison.

"Come! We must prepare to put our new plan into action!"

* * *

"Ugh. All of this combat is doing nothing for my hair."

Nightfall shrouded the Upper Lands in a chill. The majority of the moogle village had turned in for the night, finding the grass to be perfectly suitable for resting. The only few still awake were the moogle guards posted at the entrance, the elder moogle, and the Chosen, who sat around a campfire.

Dae whipped a hairbrush out of the backpack next to her – something Claude found odd because he hadn't noticed it in there earlier – and immediately applied it to her locks. She had let her hair down to get the twigs and grass out that had accumulated since they visited the Upper Lands, most of it acquired during the landing from the cannon. Getting her robe clean was one thing, but her hair was an entirely different, more delicate process.

"I'm going to have to wash this in the morning..." she muttered, gliding the brush through her hair and sending some twigs down to the grass below. After a few more stokes, she stopped, realizing the others were watching her. Even Kuponia seemed a bit more interested than she would have imagined.

"What's wrong?" She finally asked, setting the brush down.

"Nothing," Terran said quickly. "It's just...you look like an entirely different person."

With her hair free, the long blue locks had rolled down her back and over her shoulders. It was quite a stark contrast to when she normally had it hiked up into ponytails.

"Am I the only one that thinks this is a little...creepy?" Claude inquired to the group as Dae rolled her hair back into a ponytail.

"My hair's not that bad!" Dae defended, even as more remnants of the forest fell across her shoulders.

"No, I mean..." Claude pointed and they looked to find the moogle elder watching them from a distance. "He's been standing there watching us like that for awhile. I thought he'd trust us by now..."

The elder moogle, realizing all eyes were upon him, decided to make his move. They watched him in silence as he approached their 'campsite,' holding the golden Moogle Belt within his paws. With little warning, he shoved it into Claude's lap.

"Kupopo."

Claude looked to the others in confusion. "You want us to keep it?"

"Kupo." The elder moogle pointed to the belt, then to Kuponia, before turning it in the direction of each of the others.

"Hey, why don't you put it on so you can understand them!" Niko suggested.

"Alright. I'll give it a shot." Claude felt a bit silly upon inspecting the belt, but wrapped it around his waist anyway. After the buckle snapped, he sat back for a few seconds. The belt didn't _feel_ magical.

"I think you deserve this. You will need it...to take care of her."

Claude snapped his head in the elder's direction and gazed at him with furrowed brows. He had definitely heard the voice; small but distinct, and masculine. The way it echoed suggested to him that he may not have heard it entirely with just his ears, but his mind too.

"Don't worry," he responded, since he realized the conversation was actually happening. "I think she'll be safe with us."

Dae, Niko, and Terran's eyes bounced back and forth as they witnessed the conversation firsthand. Watching Claude carry a conversation with elder moogle who had only replied in its native tongue was definitely bizarre and almost seemed scripted by how surreal it felt.

"There must be a lot more meaning packed into 'kupopo' than I realized," Dae commented.

Niko nodded. "Yeah..."

"Human, I do not entirely understand the situation, but I do know that this is the will of the Wind Spirit and that it is not my place to interfere. You have my blessing," the elder told him.

"Thanks. And my name is Claude."

"I will be leaving now, human."

"..."

The elder moogle bowed, showing the first real signs of respect towards the Chosen since he had met them, before leaving the warmth of the flames and retreating into the darkness.

"Don't worry about him, he can get like that sometimes," Kuponia said from next to him.

"Yeah, sure," Claude replied sarcastically, then did a double take. "Wait, what!?" This time he recognized the voice as feminine, youthful and a tad bit playful.

"I still have to talk to him, and say goodbye. He'll feel better once I do."

Claude relaxed a bit. "You two sound close."

"Of course! He is my father."

"Oh, well that makes sense." Claude thought about his own parents briefly.

"What makes sense!?" Niko butted in. "Tell us! Because it all sounds like gibberish to me!"

"The elder moogle is her father," Claude noted, turning his attention back to Kuponia. Having the moogle stare into his eyes reminded him of just how odd the situation was. "Don't you find it a little weird that we're talking like this?"

"Not really," she replied casually. "We moogles could always understand humans. It's just nice to be heard back."

"...so are you really okay traveling with us? Sylphid said you recently lost your family. It doesn't seem too soon to you? You always have a choice whe-"

"Please...I'm not sure if I want to talk about this," Kuponia pleaded. "We moogles grieve differently than humans, and I will always feel this loss. But I don't think talking about it right now will make things better, and I'm not sure if you're the right one to talk to..."

Claude seemed content with that answer and obliged his new friend's request not to dive any deeper into the subject. "Alright. I understand what you mean."

Terran yawned loudly and stretched back along the grass. He was starting to find the conversation to be ho-hum since he didn't understand half of it. Claude was reminded by his earlier attitude when they first learned that Kuponia would be one of the Chosen, and figured that he, if any of them, needed to get to know her the most.

"Why don't you talk to Terran for awhile?" He suggested to Kuponia. He slipped the belt off and tossed it against Terran's chest as he sat up sharply upon taking in what Claude had said. They traded places while Terran reluctantly put on the belt and sat face to face with the moogle.

"Um..." he scratched the back of his neck and looked sideways. "I'm Terran. And you said your name was what...?"

"Kupo."

"Bringer of Death!?"

Claude, Dae and Niko shared a laugh.

"I'm serious! That's what she said!"

"_Right,_" Dae replied with a giggle, but Terran only looked horrified in return.

"So are your ears still ringing?" Claude asked Niko, suddenly changing the subject to the battle from before.

"No..."

Claude folded his arms. "I wish we could have done more about those Scorpion Fools, especially after what they did to you."

"Considering that I was blown up, right now I strangely feel..."

"At peace?" Dae chimed in.

Niko rubbed his stomach. "No, hungry. When are we going to eat?" Claude rolled his eyes and laid back into the grass.

"We still have all of this fruit you found this morning." Dae rolled some of the fruit out. Niko immediately grabbed an apple and bit into it.

"This is okay, but I want some meat," he said, spitting flecks of fruit as he spoke. "It's a good thing we're going to Kakkara tomorrow."

Dae nibbled on her own apple. "So that's definitely settled, then? Kakkara it is?"

Claude sat up. "Yeah...tomorrow, we'll use cannon travel." Niko tensed a bit. "And maybe after Kakkara we can go to Gold City. It's off the east coast of the desert."

"I'm the Chosen One of Earth," Terran uttered in an aggravated tone. "Didn't you see my magic for yourself? I'm not just some tag-along! I pull my weight too, you know!"

"Kupopo kupo!"

"Now that's just uncalled for!"

"Kupo." Kuponia stood rigid and left the campsite.

Dae was the first to ask, "what happened?"

"She's going to see her father. And good riddance!" he concluded in disgust. He took the belt off and slammed it onto the grass with a bit of an attitude.

"Haha, never thought I'd see you get chewed out by a moogle," Claude ribbed. His friend was not amused.

"For your information, she didn't _chew me out_. She's just incredibly rude...and a little bit scary."

"You're scared of everything," Niko added playfully.

Terran scowled. "Oh, shut up. Didn't anyone teach you not to talk with your mouth full?"

"Nope!" Niko replied happily, spraying apple bits from his muzzle.

"Well if you don't mind, I'm getting some sleep!" Terran stretched out along the grass before rolling onto his side, his back turned to his friends.

"Should we put the fire out?" Dae wondered aloud, feeling the effects of the day and wanting to get some sleep herself. It was her first real time 'roughing it' out in the wilderness, and she felt a combination of excitement and apprehensiveness.

"Not unless someone here rolls around a lot in their sleep," Claude stated, having rolled into a sleeping position himself. "I'm liking this warmth."

Niko continued to eat while Dae also retired for the night, using part of the backpack as a pillow. She could see Kuponia talking with the elder in the distance. Despite not having her chance with the belt, she had a pretty good idea what they could have been talking about, and instead let her curiosity be overtaken by tiredness, finally drifting off to sleep a minute later.

* * *

_The next chapter is already underway, however, I can't really predict when it'll be done...cause I'm not the one writing it! I can, however, give a little insight on what's happening within the next 2 chapters._

_The party will travel to the Kakkara Desert. They will meet new and familair faces and a little more light will be shed on Niko's life._


End file.
